Arizona Travel Alert, We Sue Wal-Mart and Voter Purge Case Victory

[ACLU of Michigan <action@aclumich.org>]

Title: ACLU

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June 30, 2010 1. ACLU Warns Michiganders Traveling to Arizona: Know Your Rights 2. ACLU Sues Wal-Mart For Firing Cancer Patient Over Medical Marijuana Use 3. State of Michigan Agrees to Stop Unlawful Voter Purge Upcoming Events: 6/30/10 - Racial Profiling Town Hall in Detroit 9/16/10 - Eleanor Clift, Newsweek Journalist in Grand Rapids Are you a card-carrying member of the ACLU ? Join today at www.aclumich.org

ACLU Warns Michiganders Traveling to Arizona: Know Your Rights In response to civil liberties threats caused by the recent passage of Arizona’s anti-immigrant law, the ACLU of Michigan is issuing a travel alert today informing Michiganders of their rights when traveling in Arizona. Kary Moss, the ACLU of Michigan’s Executive Director, commented, “We want Michigan residents traveling through Arizona to know what to do if police stop them and demand to see their ‘papers.’ We are particularly concerned that given Arizona’s history of racial profiling in combination with this new law, Michiganders who look or sound ‘foreign’ are more likely to be stopped by police and forced to prove their immigration status.” The ACLU is suing the state of Arizona to halt the implementation of anti-immigrant law SB 1070; however, legal action is not enough. The ACLU of Arizona has already received numerous complaints of police harassment, putting our efforts to educate citizens and non-citizens alike on the fast track. Read our travel alert (English or Spanish) Download a Know-Your-Rights wallet card (PDF, in English) Download a Know-Your-Rights wallet card (PDF, in Spanish) ACLU Sues Wal-Mart for Firing Cancer Patient Over Medical Marijuana Use Joseph Casias has sinus cancer and an inoperable brain tumor. So when Wal-Mart fired him for using medical marijuana as prescribed by his doctor, the 2008 Associate of the Year was stunned. "For some people, working at Wal-Mart is just a job, but for me, it was a way of life," says Casias. "I came to Wal-Mart for a better opportunity for my family and I worked hard and proved myself. I just want the opportunity to continue my work." Casias was fired when a random drug test found traces of marijuana in his system. This happened despite the fact that Casias never used medical marijuana at work or came to work under the influence. Michigan's Medical Marijuana Act adopted by voters in 2008 protects patients from "arrest, prosecution or penalty in any manner." Support Joseph Casias of Battle Creek by joining his cause on Facebook. Read more about the case on our website. State of Michigan Agrees to Stop Unlawful Voter Purge In time for the 2010 election, the State of Michigan has agreed to stop unlawful voter-purge programs. The ACLU of Michigan joined forces with Advancement Project in 2008 to end the Secretary of State’s practice of dropping Michigan voters who obtained out-of-state driver’s licenses or whose voter registration cards were returned by the post office. Thousands of college student voters and voters in transient, low-income communities were negatively affected by the practice. Meredith Bell-Platts, an attorney with the ACLU Voting Rights Project, said, “The affirmative steps Michigan is taking will help restore confidence in an electoral process badly damaged by misguided practices that would have shut out lawful voters from the democratic process." Although the state’s voter-purge programs have been halted, Michigan voters should still confirm that they are properly registered to vote in the 2010 elections. Next Tuesday, July 6 is the last day to register for the August 3 Primary Election. Voters have until October 4 to register for the General Election on November 2. You can confirm your registration, make changes or re-register on the Secretary of State website at www.michigan.gov/vote. Read more about the lawsuit on our website.

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