ACLU of South Dakota
@aclusouthdakota.bsky.social
Proudly defending and advancing the civil liberties of all South Dakotans. www.aclusd.org
Sioux Falls residents: City leaders have said we're not going to have helicopters circling our city, circling our community. But that's exactly what we've seen, and we don't know why. Ask our city leaders to demand truth and transparency regarding Operation Prairie Thunder.
Ask Sioux Falls city leaders to fight for truth, transparency, and our constitutional rights
Sioux Falls city councilors and the mayor have said their hands are tied when it comes to interfering with the governor’s orders when it comes to Operation Prairie Thunder. The city lacks the legal au...
action.aclu.org
November 19, 2025 at 10:00 PM
Sioux Falls residents: City leaders have said we're not going to have helicopters circling our city, circling our community. But that's exactly what we've seen, and we don't know why. Ask our city leaders to demand truth and transparency regarding Operation Prairie Thunder.
Calling all college students! We're hiring a communications intern to spend the spring semester with us. Details and application info here: www.aclu.org/careers/inte...
November 3, 2025 at 9:31 PM
Calling all college students! We're hiring a communications intern to spend the spring semester with us. Details and application info here: www.aclu.org/careers/inte...
What the National Guard is supposed to do:
🔵Aid in disaster relief
🔵Respond to domestic emergencies
🔵Train for overseas combat
🔵Aid in disaster relief
🔵Respond to domestic emergencies
🔵Train for overseas combat
October 9, 2025 at 1:02 AM
What the National Guard is supposed to do:
🔵Aid in disaster relief
🔵Respond to domestic emergencies
🔵Train for overseas combat
🔵Aid in disaster relief
🔵Respond to domestic emergencies
🔵Train for overseas combat
Hours before the South Dakota Legislature voted to approve the new prison, Speaker of the House Jon Hansen attempted to use transgender South Dakotans as pawns to grow opposition for the project by “uncovering” that inmates have a right to gender-affirming care while in custody of the DOC.
Lawmaker highlights transgender inmate policies prior to prison vote
In a letter, Rep. Jon Hansen said the South Dakota Department of Corrections is hiding its transgender policy from the public. To the ACLU, the timing of the letter is no mistake.
www.dakotanewsnow.com
September 24, 2025 at 7:28 PM
Hours before the South Dakota Legislature voted to approve the new prison, Speaker of the House Jon Hansen attempted to use transgender South Dakotans as pawns to grow opposition for the project by “uncovering” that inmates have a right to gender-affirming care while in custody of the DOC.
VICTORY: We recently became aware that Spearfish's ordinances violated First Amendment freedoms by requiring a permit to protest in public spaces. After we reached out to the city council, they have amended the ordinance and although there is still work to be done, this is a victory for free speech!
City updates rules on public assembly, after ACLU reaches out with ‘grave concerns about the First Amendment rights of Spearfish citizens’
SPEARFISH — On Oct. 9, an amendment to Spearfish’s ordinance on assemblies, parades, and processions is expected to go into effect, carving out new exceptions for protests and gatherings that
www.bhpioneer.com
September 23, 2025 at 5:41 PM
VICTORY: We recently became aware that Spearfish's ordinances violated First Amendment freedoms by requiring a permit to protest in public spaces. After we reached out to the city council, they have amended the ordinance and although there is still work to be done, this is a victory for free speech!
Expanding inmate rehabilitation programs shouldn't be contingent on whether or not lawmakers approve a $650 million prison. Even if the prison project doesn't pass, South Dakota needs smart criminal justice reform now.
Some lawmakers skeptical as governor pledges rehab task force ‘following the passage’ of prison bill • South Dakota Searchlight
Lawmakers expressed doubts the governor would change any minds with his pledge to create a task force after his prison plan passes next week.
southdakotasearchlight.com
September 19, 2025 at 2:26 PM
Expanding inmate rehabilitation programs shouldn't be contingent on whether or not lawmakers approve a $650 million prison. Even if the prison project doesn't pass, South Dakota needs smart criminal justice reform now.
The right to vote is the fundamental right on which all other civil liberties rest. On this National Voter Registration Day, take time to register to vote or confirm your voter registration at vote.gov.
September 16, 2025 at 2:56 PM
The right to vote is the fundamental right on which all other civil liberties rest. On this National Voter Registration Day, take time to register to vote or confirm your voter registration at vote.gov.
An investigation by The Dakota Scout revealed that the number of drug arrests reported during the first deployment of Operation Prairie Thunder was egregiously inflated.
When resources are being diverted to fund a so-called "public safety" campaign, South Dakotans are entitled to full transparency.
When resources are being diverted to fund a so-called "public safety" campaign, South Dakotans are entitled to full transparency.
S.D. Highway Patrol conflated arrests made in Rhoden's Prairie Thunder saturation
The Dakota Scout identifies erroneous crime stats used to tout governor's public safety campaign
www.thedakotascout.com
September 9, 2025 at 2:31 PM
An investigation by The Dakota Scout revealed that the number of drug arrests reported during the first deployment of Operation Prairie Thunder was egregiously inflated.
When resources are being diverted to fund a so-called "public safety" campaign, South Dakotans are entitled to full transparency.
When resources are being diverted to fund a so-called "public safety" campaign, South Dakotans are entitled to full transparency.
Just us reminiscing on last week's Pints and Politics event in Rapid City! 🎉
Thank you for joining us for craft brews and conversations surrounding threats to free speech. We were truly inspired by the passion in the room, and we will continue to defend all South Dakotans from government overreach.
Thank you for joining us for craft brews and conversations surrounding threats to free speech. We were truly inspired by the passion in the room, and we will continue to defend all South Dakotans from government overreach.
September 2, 2025 at 5:13 PM
Just us reminiscing on last week's Pints and Politics event in Rapid City! 🎉
Thank you for joining us for craft brews and conversations surrounding threats to free speech. We were truly inspired by the passion in the room, and we will continue to defend all South Dakotans from government overreach.
Thank you for joining us for craft brews and conversations surrounding threats to free speech. We were truly inspired by the passion in the room, and we will continue to defend all South Dakotans from government overreach.
The President has demonstrated his willingness to use our military against our country’s own people. Gov. Rhoden is empowering this extraordinary abuse of power instead of keeping our troops at home where they’re needed.
South Dakota troops join Trump’s law and order push in Washington, D.C.
Gov. Rhoden deploys Rapid City guard unit to nation's capital
www.thedakotascout.com
August 31, 2025 at 8:11 PM
The President has demonstrated his willingness to use our military against our country’s own people. Gov. Rhoden is empowering this extraordinary abuse of power instead of keeping our troops at home where they’re needed.
Can humor help us make sense of unprecedented threats to our civil liberties? That's the question W. Kamau Bell and Mo Fry Pasic explore in this week's episode of the At Liberty podcast.
www.aclu.org/podcast/live...
www.aclu.org/podcast/live...
Live from SeriesFest: Our Right to Laughter | American Civil Liberties Union
www.aclu.org
August 25, 2025 at 5:52 PM
Can humor help us make sense of unprecedented threats to our civil liberties? That's the question W. Kamau Bell and Mo Fry Pasic explore in this week's episode of the At Liberty podcast.
www.aclu.org/podcast/live...
www.aclu.org/podcast/live...
We have a free drink for the first 50 who RSVP to our Pints & Politics event in Rapid City! Let’s talk about threats to free speech, get to know each other, and build the collective power we need to protect our rights in South Dakota. 🍻
aclusd.org/pints
aclusd.org/pints
Join us for Pints & Politics in Rapid City!
Join me for cheers, beers, and chats with the ACLU of South Dakota at Pints & Politics in Rapid City on August 25.
aclusd.org
August 22, 2025 at 6:44 PM
We have a free drink for the first 50 who RSVP to our Pints & Politics event in Rapid City! Let’s talk about threats to free speech, get to know each other, and build the collective power we need to protect our rights in South Dakota. 🍻
aclusd.org/pints
aclusd.org/pints
As students head back to school this fall, remember this; Classroom censorship doesn't help students learn — it keeps them from being able to ask important questions and freely discuss the history, viewpoints, and ideas of all communities in this country.
August 20, 2025 at 4:12 PM
As students head back to school this fall, remember this; Classroom censorship doesn't help students learn — it keeps them from being able to ask important questions and freely discuss the history, viewpoints, and ideas of all communities in this country.
Reposted by ACLU of South Dakota
There are real people affected by every policy passed by our legislators. I just wish more of them remembered that. This is why I do the work that I do.
Anti-trans legislation permanently impacts real South Dakotans. Not only are transgender residents suppressed by these laws, but their communities lose business owners, neighbors and friends when they're forced to leave as a result.
A family opened a town’s first bookstore. A bathroom bill is driving them away.
The Phelans ran the only bookstore in Vermillion, South Dakota. They sold it and moved after a new law would’ve required their daughter to use a boys’ bathroom.
www.washingtonpost.com
August 11, 2025 at 10:17 PM
There are real people affected by every policy passed by our legislators. I just wish more of them remembered that. This is why I do the work that I do.
Surveillance cameras are no longer just recording our comings and goings — they're using AI to decide whether we should be reported to law enforcement.
An algorithm can't be trusted to determine who is a threat.
An algorithm can't be trusted to determine who is a threat.
Surveillance Company Flock Now Using AI to Report Us to Police if it Thinks Our Movement Patterns Are “Suspicious”
Jay Stanley, Senior Policy Analyst, ACLU Speech, Privacy, and Technology Project The police surveillance company Flock has built an enormous nationwide license plate tracking system, which streams
www.aclusd.org
August 11, 2025 at 10:16 PM
Surveillance cameras are no longer just recording our comings and goings — they're using AI to decide whether we should be reported to law enforcement.
An algorithm can't be trusted to determine who is a threat.
An algorithm can't be trusted to determine who is a threat.
Anti-trans legislation permanently impacts real South Dakotans. Not only are transgender residents suppressed by these laws, but their communities lose business owners, neighbors and friends when they're forced to leave as a result.
A family opened a town’s first bookstore. A bathroom bill is driving them away.
The Phelans ran the only bookstore in Vermillion, South Dakota. They sold it and moved after a new law would’ve required their daughter to use a boys’ bathroom.
www.washingtonpost.com
August 11, 2025 at 10:13 PM
Anti-trans legislation permanently impacts real South Dakotans. Not only are transgender residents suppressed by these laws, but their communities lose business owners, neighbors and friends when they're forced to leave as a result.
The state is essentially forcing public assistance applicants to avoid registering to vote if they want their application to remain private, the ACLU said.
Thousands of South Dakotans have been publicly labeled as applicants for government assistance and thousands more have had their email address and phone number exposed, due to a new state law and the way the state’s election office is implementing it. buff.ly/FDBjkbt
SD election office publishes voter list labeling thousands as public assistance applicants • South Dakota Searchlight
Thousands of South Dakotans have been publicly labeled as applicants for government assistance due to a new state law and its implementation.
southdakotasearchlight.com
July 31, 2025 at 11:10 PM
The state is essentially forcing public assistance applicants to avoid registering to vote if they want their application to remain private, the ACLU said.
As the Trump administration continues to attack the press, we investigate how a historic civil rights-era Supreme Court case defended journalistic freedom.
60 Years Later: How a Civil Rights-Era Defamation Case Empowers the Press
Ellessandra Taormino, she/her/hers, Intern, Media and Strategic Engagement, ACLU The United States used to set the standard for press freedom. Now, it’s dropped its status as a worldwide leader,
www.aclusd.org
July 29, 2025 at 5:21 PM
As the Trump administration continues to attack the press, we investigate how a historic civil rights-era Supreme Court case defended journalistic freedom.
Up next on the We the People blog series is Sarah Parkin, our new Digital Communications Associate! Read what Sarah had to say about her experiences and how they shaped her passion for human rights and civil liberties.
We the People: Sarah Parkin
Legal documents and legislation can be boring, right? Well, not for Sarah Parkin. The ACLU’s new digital communications associate loves breaking down complex issues and making people aware of the
www.aclusd.org
July 17, 2025 at 6:38 AM
Up next on the We the People blog series is Sarah Parkin, our new Digital Communications Associate! Read what Sarah had to say about her experiences and how they shaped her passion for human rights and civil liberties.
📣 A free press is at the core of a free society!
July 11, 2025 at 12:07 AM
📣 A free press is at the core of a free society!
Welcome, Sarah!
Sarah's skills in multimedia production combined with her background in journalism and nonprofit communications made her a natural fit for the digital communications associate role at the ACLU of South Dakota, and we couldn't be happier to have her on our team!
Sarah's skills in multimedia production combined with her background in journalism and nonprofit communications made her a natural fit for the digital communications associate role at the ACLU of South Dakota, and we couldn't be happier to have her on our team!
July 7, 2025 at 10:55 PM
Welcome, Sarah!
Sarah's skills in multimedia production combined with her background in journalism and nonprofit communications made her a natural fit for the digital communications associate role at the ACLU of South Dakota, and we couldn't be happier to have her on our team!
Sarah's skills in multimedia production combined with her background in journalism and nonprofit communications made her a natural fit for the digital communications associate role at the ACLU of South Dakota, and we couldn't be happier to have her on our team!
We're in the fight of our lifetime to defend our civil rights. Let's discuss the recent Supreme Court term and where we go from here. Join us at 4 p.m. CT / 3 p.m. MT tomorrow: www.youtube.com/live/oGcVlEB...
July 1, 2025 at 12:01 AM
We're in the fight of our lifetime to defend our civil rights. Let's discuss the recent Supreme Court term and where we go from here. Join us at 4 p.m. CT / 3 p.m. MT tomorrow: www.youtube.com/live/oGcVlEB...
If the Senate passes President Trump's budget bill, millions of us will lose access to critical health care services.
Our lives and communities are on the line. Tell Sens. Thune and Rounds: Protect Medicaid at all costs. action.aclu.org/send-message...
Our lives and communities are on the line. Tell Sens. Thune and Rounds: Protect Medicaid at all costs. action.aclu.org/send-message...
Congress: Save Medicaid Now
Politicians are attempting to pass devastating cuts to Medicaid right now and we must act fast. Send a message telling your member of Congress to fight back now.
action.aclu.org
June 24, 2025 at 8:06 PM
If the Senate passes President Trump's budget bill, millions of us will lose access to critical health care services.
Our lives and communities are on the line. Tell Sens. Thune and Rounds: Protect Medicaid at all costs. action.aclu.org/send-message...
Our lives and communities are on the line. Tell Sens. Thune and Rounds: Protect Medicaid at all costs. action.aclu.org/send-message...
New podcast alert!
We asked trans rights activists how they’re navigating President Trump’s escalating abuses of power and how they’re finding joy this Pride month.
Hear their answers on the latest episode of At Liberty: www.aclu.org/podcast/who-...
We asked trans rights activists how they’re navigating President Trump’s escalating abuses of power and how they’re finding joy this Pride month.
Hear their answers on the latest episode of At Liberty: www.aclu.org/podcast/who-...
Who We Fight For: The Journey to Trans Liberation | American Civil Liberties Union
www.aclu.org
June 24, 2025 at 5:03 PM
New podcast alert!
We asked trans rights activists how they’re navigating President Trump’s escalating abuses of power and how they’re finding joy this Pride month.
Hear their answers on the latest episode of At Liberty: www.aclu.org/podcast/who-...
We asked trans rights activists how they’re navigating President Trump’s escalating abuses of power and how they’re finding joy this Pride month.
Hear their answers on the latest episode of At Liberty: www.aclu.org/podcast/who-...
Our state's "tough on crime" policies have led to more arrests and increased costs while disregarding real people’s lives. It's time to embrace a smart justice vision of our criminal legal system. Prioritize people, not prisons.
Criminal Justice Reform Better Than Building New Prison
We need to dramatically reduce our reliance on incarceration and invest instead in alternatives to prison, including approaches better designed to break the cycle of crime and recidivism by helping
www.aclusd.org
June 23, 2025 at 6:43 PM
Our state's "tough on crime" policies have led to more arrests and increased costs while disregarding real people’s lives. It's time to embrace a smart justice vision of our criminal legal system. Prioritize people, not prisons.