Court Cases
Featured Cases
March 17, 2026
Joan Alberto Zorrilla Lora v. Rebecca González et al.
An immigration judge granted bond to Dominican immigrant Joan Alberto Zorrilla Lora, a decision that marks an important step forward in the face of a detention that should never have happened. The ruling comes after the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Puerto Rico filed an urgent habeas corpus petition to stop Zorrilla Lora’s transfer outside the local jurisdiction and to require that he receive a bond hearing, a process to which he was entitled.
This case also exposes the voluntary collaboration of municipal authorities with the federal immigration detention machinery. There is evidence showing that the Carolina Municipal Police played a direct role in the events that led to Zorrilla Lora’s detention by federal authorities. That intervention points to voluntary cooperation by the Municipality in immigration enforcement functions, even though no 287(g) agreement exists delegating that type of authority.
March 17, 2026
ACLU of PR v. DTOP
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Puerto Rico filed a petition for mandamus in the Court of First Instance in San Juan against the Secretary of the Department of Transportation and Public Works (DTOP), Edwin González Montalvo, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, seeking the immediate release of all documents related to the transfer of confidential information concerning nearly 6,000 migrants who obtained driver’s licenses under Act No. 97 of 2013, including a subpoena allegedly issued by a federal agency.
The ACLU-PR’s action comes after DTOP refused to provide copies of information requests issued by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and agencies such as U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), as well as the legal assessments and the information that was turned over in response to those requests. The agency’s response relied on generalities, without legally substantiating its claim of confidentiality, which constitutes a failure to perform a ministerial duty and a flagrant violation of the right of access to public information, a constitutional right in Puerto Rico.
The lawsuit is based on the public disclosure that, between February and March 2025, DTOP turned over personal data on nearly 6,000 drivers with unregularized immigration status to federal immigration agencies. The federal government later confirmed that these data are being actively used to identify immigrants, locate them, arrest them without a warrant, and deport them.
The ACLU-PR underscored that this action by the government of Puerto Rico was carried out in direct contravention of Act 97-2013 itself, which requires the Secretary of DTOP to establish the necessary mechanisms to ensure that this registry cannot be used to discriminate and that the information is not disclosed.
March 17, 2026
Ínaru de la Fuente Díaz v. Jenniffer González Colón et al. - Amicus ACLU F. & ACLUPR
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the ACLU of Puerto Rico filed an amicus curiae brief before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit in the case of Ínaru Nadia de la Fuente Díaz v. Jenniffer A. González Colón, in support of the plaintiffs challenging the Commonwealth policy that prevents them from obtaining birth certificates reflecting an “X” gender marker for nonbinary people.
Currently, the Government of Puerto Rico limits the gender marker on birth certificates to only “M” or “F,” referring to the male/female binary, but refuses to offer the “X” option even when a person has other documents or medical certifications recognizing their nonbinary gender identity.
The U.S. District Court for the District of Puerto Rico has already determined that this policy violates the right to equal protection of the laws, although it applied the most deferential standard of review, rational basis. The amicus filed by the ACLU and its Puerto Rico affiliate asks the First Circuit to affirm that decision while making clear that this policy should be evaluated under heightened scrutiny because it is based on the affected individuals’ transgender status.
The brief explains that nonbinary people are a subgroup within the broader transgender community because their gender identity does not align with the sex assigned to them at birth. By specifically excluding people with a nonbinary identity from the ability to obtain accurate documents, the government subjects them to unequal treatment with real consequences in everyday life, from school or work to access to basic services and daily interactions with government agencies.
All Cases
20 Court Cases
March 17, 2026
A.C.S. v. M.L.Q.T. - Amicus de ACLU Puerto Rico
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Puerto Rico asked the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico, through an amicus curiae brief, to overturn a protection order issued under Law 54 against a 16-year-old minor based on events linked to a dating relationship between two students at a private school.
In its brief, the ACLU of Puerto Rico explained that applying Act No. 54 of 1989 — a statute designed to address domestic violence between adults — to romantic relationships between minors constitutes an arbitrary and capricious use of the law and turns this important remedy into an instrument of oppression wielded by adults. The organization emphasized that, in this case, the protection order caused one of the minors to miss months of in-person classes and school activities, while also subjecting the parties to a judicial process that was unnecessary and inappropriate for their age.
In the particular case, the organization argued that the lower courts failed to adequately examine the full context of the relationship between the minors, as well as the role of responsible adults. The amicus stated that the anxiety and fear expressed by one of the minors in her text messages were closely tied to fear of her own mother’s reaction upon learning about the relationship, rather than to a pattern of abuse by the other minor. However, the Court of First Instance improperly restricted attempts by legal counsel to present evidence on that point, affecting the rights to due process and confrontation.
April 22, 2024
Sucesión Cruz-González v. Administración de Terrenos de PR
Sucesión de Eugenia Cruz González v. Administración de Terrenos de Puerto Rico (KLAN 2022-00865) is an appeal filed by a Vieques family who alleges a violation of their due process and property rights. The family argued that they had lived on the land for over seven decades and that the trial court made procedural errors by ruling against them and ordering their eviction. The family's appeal was successful, as the Court of Appeals reversed the original judgment. The Puerto Rico Supreme Court denied the government's petition to review the case. The case is currently in the discovery stage.
April 22, 2024
Sheila Nevárez-Chiclana v. Policía de PR
Sheila A. Nevárez Chiclana, et als. v. Antonio López, Police Commissioner, et als. (Civil No. 3:23-cv-01387-CVR) is a lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court in July 2023, alleging the wrongful death of Javier Cordero Nevárez, an unarmed 16-year-old minor who was shot by police officers during a pursuit of an allegedly stolen vehicle. The complaint argues that the officers used excessive and deadly force, in violation of the minor’s constitutional rights. Although the case against the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico was dismissed, the litigation continues against the officers in their personal capacities. The case is currently in the discovery stage.
April 22, 2024
Sandra Rodríguez-Cotto v. Pedro R. Pierluisi-Urrutia
Sandra Rodríguez Cotto v. Wanda Vázquez Garced (Civil Case No. 3:20-cv-01235) is a lawsuit challenging a Puerto Rican law that criminalized the dissemination of what the government considered inaccurate information during emergencies. The plaintiffs, two journalists, argued the law was unconstitutional and violated freedom of speech. A court struck down the law, but the decision is currently under appeal.
April 22, 2024
María Bernadette-Estevez v. Yira Silva-Bonilla
María Bernadette Estévez v. Yira Silva Bonilla, et als. (Civil Case No. AU2022-CV-00577) is a defamation lawsuit filed in the Aguadilla Superior Court against a mother, Yira Silva Bonilla. The lawsuit stems from the mother's social media posts in which she alleged that her seven-year-old son with autism and his service dog were denied entry to a school meeting. The ACLU of Puerto Rico, representing the mother, has filed multiple motions to dismiss based on freedom of speech (First Amendment), but these efforts have been overruled by the court. The ACLU of Puerto Rico reached an agreement between the parties.
April 22, 2024
Jonathan Hernández-Zorrilla v. Ricardo Rosselló
Jonathan Hernández v. Ricardo Rosselló, et al. (Civil Case No. 3:19-cv-1397) and the consolidated case of Yadira Carrasquillo v. Ricardo Rosselló, et al. (Civil Case No. 3:19-cv-01414) are lawsuits filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Puerto Rico. The complaints, filed in 2019, allege the use of excessive force by the Puerto Rico Police during protests. Jonathan Hernández, a street vendor, alleges that he was brutally attacked and shot with rubber bullets.
The plaintiffs are currently seeking to move the case forward, including by retaining an expert witness and continuing discovery. The lawsuit was stayed by the Bankruptcy Court in 2023 under PROMESA due to the Puerto Rico government’s bankruptcy proceedings. However, in late 2025, Judge Laura Taylor Swain lifted the stay after the ACLU of Puerto Rico raised constitutional challenges, including violations of due process and the Bankruptcy Uniformity Clause, as well as international human rights law. The Financial Oversight and Management Board — an undemocratic entity imposed by the federal government — appealed the judge’s order, and the matter is currently before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit in Boston.
April 22, 2024
Jahaira Ponce-Morales v. ELA
This case, Jahaira Ponce Morales, et als v. E.L.A., et als, (Civil No. BY2013-02917), concerns the death of a female inmate while in the custody of the Department of Correction. The initial lawsuit for civil rights violations against several supervisors in their personal capacity was dismissed by the trial court. This decision was appealed, but the appeal was unsuccessful. However, the case against the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico remains pending before the Bayamón Superior Court. Subsequently, a second amended complaint was filed, which once again includes the officials in their personal capacity.
April 22, 2024
Elsa Avilés v. ELA
Elsa Avilés, et als v. Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, et als. (Civil Case No. JA2020-cv-00010) is a civil lawsuit filed in the Jayuya Superior Court. The complaint alleges that two police officers used excessive and deadly force against Anthony Maldonado Avilés, who was suffering an episode of emotional distress, leading to his death. The Court of Appeals upheld Police Commissioner Henry Escalera as a defendant in his personal capacity under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 and denied him qualified immunity. The case is currently pending.
April 22, 2024
Belia Ocasio v. CEE
Belia Arlene Ocasio and Efraín Colón Damiani v. Comisión Estatal de Elecciones (CEE), et als. (Civil Action No. 3:20-cv-01432-PAD) was a lawsuit filed by the ACLU and a New York law firm to allow Puerto Rico's senior citizens, aged 60 and over, to vote by mail or early due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The plaintiffs argued that the CEE's policies forced them to choose between their right to vote and their health, given the pandemic's risks. The complaint alleged that the CEE's failure to allow early or absentee voting for seniors was an undue burden on the right to vote, in violation of the First and Fourteenth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution. A District Court ordered the CEE to make arrangements to allow vote by mail for people 65 years old or older. The Commonwealth of Puerto Rico filed a motion for reconsideration, and the case is pending before the Court of Appeals (1st Cir.).
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