HARRISBURG, Pa. - Thirteen people who are currently held in immigration detention in jails in three Pennsylvania counties have filed a federal constitutional lawsuit asking for their immediate release because they are at high risk for severe illness if they contract coronavirus while incarcerated.

Today, the ACLU of Pennsylvania filed a complaint on behalf of 15 residents of Montgomery County, alleging that the Montgomery County Commissioners committed more than a dozen violations of the Sunshine Act by firing top public defenders Dean Beer and Keisha Hudson.

HARRISBURG — The ACLU of Pennsylvania sent a letter to Pennsylvania Department of Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine on Friday, urging the department to issue guidance to all stakeholders in the criminal legal system regarding the coronavirus pandemic. 

After reviewing docket data from the Philadelphia courts that revealed the continued use of cash bail during the COVID-19 pandemic, the ACLU of Pennsylvania sent a letter to the First Judicial District today, urging the immediate end to the use of cash bail during the ongoing public health crisis.

Three criminal legal reform advocacy groups sent a letter today urging Governor Wolf to take all executive actions within his legal authority to release as many people from Pennsylvania’s state prisons as possible, as part of the commonwealth’s response to limiting the spread of the coronavirus.

Three prison reform groups sent letters to every county jail, federal prison, and immigration detention center in PA as well as the PA Department of Corrections urging evidence-based responses to the coronavirus pandemic, with an expectation that the jails and prisons will be transparent.

PITTSBURGH – Two women who gave birth at UPMC medical facilities and were later harassed repeatedly by the Allegheny County Office of Children Youth and Families (CYF) have filed a class action lawsuit against both the hospital system and the county.

PITTSBURGH - Four voting rights groups asked a federal court today to allow them to intervene to defend the rights of Allegheny County voters in a lawsuit filed by an organization challenging how the county maintains its voter registration list.

Today, Montgomery County Commissioners announced the termination of the county’s top two public defenders, Chief Dean Beer and Deputy Chief Keisha Hudson. Their positions were immediately filled by Carol Sweeney and Greg Nestor, who were named co-chief deputy public defenders.