Civil Liberties

Civil liberties are human rights

Guaranteed to every individual, civil liberties are rights that assure equal participation in government processes and provide protection from arbitrary intrusions. These rights are fundamental to the defense of all rights and the exercise of democratic processes — the ways in which democratic government is enjoyed, exercised, defended, and upheld. Civil liberties must be applied to and enjoyed by all, regardless of race, class, gender, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, national origin, or immigration status.

Supporting Democratic Transition in the Middle East and North Africa

UUSC supports activists pushing for open and democratic governments across the Middle East and North Africa. In a post-Arab-Spring environment, UUSC supports grassroots work to promote positive community-led efforts toward reconciliation and democratic participation.
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Restoring Local Civil Rights

Profiling occurs as a result of a person’s perceived race, class, religion, national origin, or political ideology. As local law enforcement agencies are increasingly relied upon to carry out federal policies such as immigration reform and surveillance, UUSC supports efforts to enact enforceable legislative reforms at the local level to halt police profiling and protect civil rights.
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Supporting Survivors of Torture in U.S. Immigration Detention

Hundreds of torture survivors and political refugees come to the United States every year seeking freedom from persecution and protection from violence. Rather than being welcomed, many are detained — sometimes for months or years — in jail-like facilities because of draconian national-security and immigration laws. UUSC works with survivors of torture to identify other survivors in detention, get them out, and challenge the unjust system.
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Accountability for U.S. Torture

The right to be free from torture is one of the most fundamental human rights recognized by the global community. UUSC supports grassroots efforts to call for U.S. government accountability for authorizing torture policies. Without proper accountability, we cannot ensure that U.S.-sponsored torture will never happen again.
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