Welcome to the February issue of The Brief, the monthly email newsletter of the ACLU of Northern California. In the chaotic weeks since the Trump administration dispatched thousands of federal agents to terrorize Minnesota, residents have responded with remarkable courage and resilience. By fearlessly standing up for their neighbors and their rights in the face of violent repression, Minnesotans are an inspiration to us all.

Court rejects federal bid to seize California voter data

A federal court dismissed a Department of Justice lawsuit that sought to force California to hand over voters' personal information, including addresses, dates of birth, partial Social Security numbers, and drivers' license numbers. The League of Women Voters of California – represented by ACLU NorCal, the national ACLU, and the ACLU Foundation of Southern California – intervened in the case to protect voters' privacy and safeguard the integrity of our elections.

The Trump administration's push to confiscate the voter rolls from California and nearly two dozen other Democratic states is part of a broader campaign to sabotage the midterms by making it harder to vote. Right now, Trump is pressuring Senate Republicans to end the filibuster and pass the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, which would require proof of citizenship to register to vote in federal elections and photo ID to vote in person. If signed into law, the bill could disenfranchise millions of eligible voters, including married women who took their partners' surnames. We oppose any policy that would restrict ballot access.

Win: Small amount of marijuana can't trigger vehicle search

In overturning a state appeals court ruling, the California Supreme Court agreed with our argument that the presence of trace amounts of loose marijuana in a vehicle doesn't violate open container laws and therefore does not give police probable cause for a search. The case stemmed from a traffic stop during which officers saw a tiny bit of marijuana – about one-third the size of a grape – scattered on the rear floorboards and used that as justification to search the vehicle. We argued that such searches violate the Fourth Amendment and effectively re-criminalize marijuana.

This case was also a racial justice issue. Statewide data confirm that police disproportionately pull over and search Black and Latino drivers, often using minor traffic violations, such as a broken taillight, as an excuse to look for evidence of criminal activity. We continue to advocate for banning racially biased pretext stops.

Sacred land protected in perpetuity

Juristac, the heart of the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band's ancestral lands and one of the Tribe's last remaining sacred sites, is now permanently protected. The Peninsula Open Space Trust recently acquired 2,284 acres of the Sargent Ranch property, concluding a decade-long fight to save the site from industrial development.

For thousands of years, the Amah Mutsun held ceremonies at Juristac until they were forcibly removed, and often consigned into indentured servitude through the Mission system. Today, Juristac is a critical wildlife corridor in the Bay Area, connecting the Santa Cruz Mountains to the Diablo Range in the east and the Gabilan Range to the south. This victory reflects the power of collective action – thousands of community members sent emails, signed petitions, attended rallies, and raised their voices to protect this sacred land.

Defend Democracy Tour

Beginning in March, ACLU NorCal Executive Director Abdi Soltani will host events across Northern and Central California to share updates on our work challenging the Trump administration's authoritarian policies and abuses of power. We want to know: What does democracy mean to you? How is the federal government's agenda affecting your community? What gives you hope? The ACLU will never abandon our defense of civil liberties and civil rights, and we draw strength from knowing that you stand with us in this fight. We hope you'll join us at a Defend Democracy event near you.

Final thoughts:

• Register for organizing trainings this month in Watsonville and Sacramento to learn skills that will help you make change in your community.
• Save the Date: The next No Kings Day is Saturday, March 28. Please note: This link will take you to a third-party website, nokings.org.
• In honor of Black History Month, check out our multimedia public education project, Gold Chains: The Hidden History of Slavery in California.
• What we're reading: "Good Dirt" by Charmaine Wilkerson. A Black family's epic story of love, loss, and perseverance stretching from the antebellum South to modern day New England. Please note: This link will take you to a third-party website, nytimes.com.
• Join ACLU NorCal Board Member David Oppenheimer on Wednesday, March 11, at the Commonwealth Club for a discussion of his book, "The Diversity Principle: The Story of a Transformative Idea." Please note: This link will take you to a third-party website, commonwealthclub.org.

Thanks for reading this issue of The Brief. We'll see you back here next month!