Issues

Puerto Rico’s criminal legal system is plagued by inequities that disproportionately harm low-income people and communities of color. The ACLU of Puerto Rico is working to reform these laws and practices — from over-policing and excessive sentencing to racial bias and pretrial detention — to build a system rooted in fairness, transparency, and justice.

Education is a fundamental right and a cornerstone of opportunity. In Puerto Rico, students and families continue to face systemic barriers to accessing a safe, equitable, and high-quality public education. The ACLU of Puerto Rico works to protect education rights by challenging discriminatory policies, defending students’ civil liberties, and advocating for equitable access to educational resources and services.

Environmental justice is a civil rights issue. In Puerto Rico, environmental harm and climate vulnerability fall hardest on communities already facing systemic inequities. The ACLU of Puerto Rico works to protect environmental rights by holding institutions accountable, challenging harmful policies, and advocating for clean air, safe water, and healthy communities. We believe everyone deserves the right to live in a safe and sustainable environment.

The ACLU of Puerto Rico defends the human rights and dignity of every person on the island. From combating political repression and government overreach to protecting access to healthcare, housing, and justice, we work to ensure that Puerto Rico’s laws and institutions uphold fundamental freedoms for all.

LGBTQ+ people have the right to live with dignity, safety, and equality. In Puerto Rico, LGBTQ+ communities continue to face discrimination, violence, and barriers to accessing healthcare, housing, employment, and other essential services. The ACLU of Puerto Rico works to defend LGBTQ+ rights by challenging discriminatory policies and practices, protecting equality under the law, and advocating for safe and inclusive spaces. We fight for the right of all people to live openly and free from fear of exclusion or harm. LGBTQ+ rights are human rights. We are committed to protecting equality and freedom for all people in Puerto Rico.

Every person, no matter who they are or where they are held, deserves to be treated with dignity. In Puerto Rico, the ACLU works to end inhumane prison conditions, challenge abuse and neglect, and ensure that the rights of incarcerated people are upheld under the Constitution and international human rights law.

Technology should empower, not endanger. The ACLU of Puerto Rico defends the right to privacy and fights against government surveillance, data misuse, and digital discrimination that threaten individual freedoms and democratic participation.

Systemic racism continues to shape life in Puerto Rico — from policing and incarceration to housing, healthcare, and education. The ACLU of Puerto Rico fights to dismantle racial discrimination in all its forms, working alongside communities to demand equal protection, accountability, and opportunity for all.

True religious freedom means the right to practice any faith — or none — without government interference or discrimination. The ACLU of Puerto Rico defends the separation of church and state and works to ensure that religion is never used as a license to discriminate.