Court Cases

Read about some of MALDEF’s work in the courts to uphold the civil rights of all Latinos.

Education

MALDEF STATEMENT ON U.S. SUPREME COURT’S RULING ON AFFIRMATIVE ACTION

LOS ANGELES – The U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling today in (Students for Fair Admissions v. President and Fellows of Harvard, and Students for Fair Admissions v. University of North Carolina) upends a 45-year-precedent that clearly affirmed the use of race as one of several considerations in admissions.

Employment

Immigrants’ Rights

MALDEF STATEMENT ON APPEALS COURT RULING ON DACA

NEW ORLEANS– A federal appeals court on Friday upheld a district judge’s ruling that parts of the Biden Administration’s 2022 DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) rule is unlawful. However, the three-judge panel allowed the DACA rule to go into effect nationwide except for Texas. The decision also left in place the lower court’s decision allowing current DACA recipients, even in Texas, to renew DACA while the case is on appeal.

Voting Rights

MALDEF STATEMENT ON FEDERAL JUDGE’S DECISION TO BLOCK PART OF TEXAS’S VOTER SUPPRESSION LAW SB1

SAN ANTONIO –   A federal judge ruled that a portion of a controversial Texas election law that limits the ability of organizations to talk to mail-in ballot voters is unconstitutional. The judge immediately blocked the provisions of SB1 that impose criminal penalties on people advocating for measures or candidates to voters in the presence of mail-in ballots. He did not rule on the other challenged portions of the law known as SB1.

Access to Justice

ILLINOIS ENACTS LANGUAGE EQUITY BILL FOR ADMINISTRATIVE HEARINGS

(CHICAGO) – MALDEF (Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund) partnered with Illinois state lawmakers to enact a law requiring interpretive assistance for people with limited English proficiency who have low incomes or who represent themselves in state administrative hearings.

JUDGE REJECTS TEXAS ATTORNEY GENERAL’S EFFORT TO SHUT DOWN HOUSTON NON-PROFIT

(HOUSTON) – A Texas state judge denied Attorney General Ken Paxton’s attempt to sue a Houston-based non-profit, according to an order entered on Friday.  Today’s ruling prevents Paxton’s proposed lawsuit from moving forward and also denies Paxton’s request for a temporary injunction to shut down the non-profit.

Freedom from open and obvious bias and racism

Help protect and promote the civil rights of the Latino community and the future for all Americans.