We began 2025 with trepidation about what would unfold in our city, our capital, our country.
We are entering 2026 battle-tested, stronger, and more resolved than ever — bringing all that we have to defend D.C. autonomy, to protect our immigrant neighbors, and to safeguard civil rights protections for all.
December is shaping up to be one of the busiest, most consequential times for the Washington Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs (WLC).
Court Halts Federal Policy of Conducting Unlawful Immigration Arrests in D.C.: On Dec. 2, a federal court in D.C. issued an order in our lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), blocking their policy of conducting warrantless immigration arrests lacking probable cause in D.C. Following the August federal takeover of D.C., we had joined forces with immigrants’ rights groups to sue to end the DHS practice of arrest first, ask questions later.
Civil Rights Trial to Remove Confederate Names of Public Schools in VA: Starting Dec. 11, WLC lawyers will be in a week-long trial challenging the Shenandoah County School Board’s decision to rename two public schools after Confederate generals. No student should have to attend a school named to glorify Stonewall Jackson and a white supremacist legacy.
Thank you for joining us in the fight for our city, our capital, our country, our democracy.
Joanne Lin
Executive Director
Washington Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs
Court Halts DHS Practice of Conducting Warrantless Immigration Arrests Lacking Probable Cause in D.C.
On Dec. 2, a federal court issued a preliminary injunction halting the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) policy of conducting immigration arrests without warrants or probable cause that the individual is an imminent flight risk.
The ruling arose out of our lawsuit filed in response to the federal takeover of the District of Columbia in August. On Aug. 11, the President declared a “crime emergency” in D.C. and called for mass immigration arrests. Federal agents implemented a policy and practice of arresting people who are perceived to be Latino, without the required probable cause findings that those individuals are in the U.S. unlawfully and are likely to escape before an administrative immigration warrant can be obtained.
The court ruling halts DHS’s policy and practice of “arrest first, ask questions later,” which has instilled and stoked fear in D.C. neighborhoods. The ruling provides a mechanism to ensure immigration enforcement follows the laws that keep our communities secure and free.
Our executive director, Joanne Lin, was quoted in the Washington Post:
“This is a victory for the rule of law and for the people across the city, who have avoided going to work, to church, to school, to grocery stores — out of fear of being unlawfully arrested, detained, and deported.”
We are proud and honored to stand with our clients — CASA and four individuals — and to be in this fight with our co-counsel: ACLU DC, ACLU, Amica Center for Immigrant Rights, CASA, National Immigration Project, and Covington & Burling LLP.
The complaint filed in Escobar Molina et al. v. U.S. Department of Homeland Security et al. is availablehere, and the court ruling here:Memorandum Opinion.
Court halts deployment of National Guard troops in D.C.
On Nov. 20, a federal court ruled that the President’s unilateral deployment of the National Guard into the District of Columbia was unlawful, finding that he exceeded his authority by using military troops to police D.C., in violation of the law. The court issued a preliminary injunction halting the National Guard deployment in D.C.
The court ruling arose out of a lawsuit filed by the DC Office of the Attorney General (OAG). Washington Lawyers’ Committee of Civil Rights and Urban Affairs (WLC) and ACLU-DC submitted an amicus brief in support of the OAG, joined by 10 local public interest and legal services organizations.
The court’s ruling makes clear that no President can deploy military troops into D.C. without legal authority — and reinforces the importance of public accountability, civil rights, and D.C. autonomy.
December 10 is International Human Rights Day, which commemorates the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) by the United Nations General Assembly in 1948.
As the inaugural Lew Wiener Disability Rights Fellow at the Washington Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs, I’m grateful to be able to work alongside my colleagues to challenge disability discrimination in its many forms. This year, the disability rights team’s work has included seeking to make after-school programs accessible, ensuring streets are safe for blind pedestrians, and expanding education access for incarcerated students with disabilities.
WLC has been a force in the disability rights space, working to actualize the promise of the UDHR: that all people deserve equal rights and equal access.
— Michaela LeDoux, Lew Wiener Disability Rights Fellow, WLC
Under Article 25 of the UDHR, all people have the right to “a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being” of themselves and their families, including housing.
For over 50 years, the Washington Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs (WLC) has fiercely advocated for the rights of tenants to safe and affordable housing free of unlawful discrimination throughout D.C., Maryland, and Virginia. In June, I joined WLC’s Housing Justice team to support tenants organizing to improve their living conditions and fight discriminatory tenant screening policies that exclude applicants based on protected characteristics like source of income. In one of the most unaffordable areas of the country, WLC’s work strives to ensure that all residents have access to this basic human right: somewhere safe to call home.
As we celebrate International Human Rights Day, I am grateful for the tenants throughout D.C., Maryland, and Virginia, who tirelessly advocate to improve conditions for our communities, and grateful to my colleagues for supporting that fight. Onward!
— Rebecca Guterman, Housing Justice Attorney, WLC
Ashley Joyner Chavous is Of Counsel in Covington’s White Collar Defense & Investigations practice. For more than five years, she has worked with the Washington Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs to challenge the use and reinstatement of Confederate school names in Virginia. Building on her work in Hanover County (VA), Ashley now serves as a strategic leader and trial counsel in the Shenandoah County litigation, representing the Virginia NAACP and students opposing the school board decision to rename public schools after Confederate generals — names understood to be symbols of racial exclusion. Ashley’s pro bono work has been recognized in national media and reflected in court precedent, making clear that public schools may not compel students to promote pro-slavery messages that they fundamentally reject.
Starting Dec. 11, Ashley and a large Covington pro bono team will be joining forces with WLC lawyers for a week-long trial to remove the Confederate names from Shenandoah County public schools.
Ashley shares, “Ensuring that every child can participate fully in school without being forced to elevate symbols that call their dignity into question is a constitutional principle. The law is at its strongest when it protects those who are most vulnerable, and that commitment continues to guide my pro bono work and my purpose.”
Tiffany Rider serves on the board of directors of the Washington Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs. An Axinn antitrust partner with over 20 years of experience, Tiffany is widely recognized for her skill in helping clients navigate criminal antitrust cartel investigations, follow-on antitrust class action litigation, and complex mergers and acquisitions.
According to Tiffany, “At Axinn, pro bono service is not only encouraged but integral to how we practice law. My appointment to the WLC Board, which plays a key role in the equitable application of law and access to justice for all, reflects Axinn’s ongoing commitment to using our skills to support the broader community. I look forward to contributing to this important work on behalf of the firm and alongside my colleagues.”
Olivia Luzzio is an Antitrust Associate at Eversheds Sutherland (US) LLP. She advises clients on all aspects of antitrust law, including regulatory filings, government investigations, and antitrust litigation matters. Her practice spans a broad range of industries, including pharmaceuticals, medical devices, chemicals, insurance, energy, food and beverage, retail, financial products, and automotive.
An Associate Trustee of the Washington Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs (WLC), Olivia is part of a pro bono team working on a major prison case.
Olivia shares, “The Washington Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights has a distinguished and longstanding history of advocating for marginalized communities, challenging systemic injustices, and upholding constitutional rights. I look forward to partnering with WLC throughout my legal career.”
A retired partner with Foley & Lardner LLP, Jim Bierman was the managing partner of the firm’s Washington, D.C. office for 15 years. In the 1970s, Jim began working with the Washington Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs (WLC). He served on the WLC board for many years and as board co-chair in 2006-2007. Since retiring, Jim has continued to support WLC on a volunteer basis. He and his wife, Cathy, hosted WLC's first soiree in June 2024 in their Virginia home.
When asked why he has supported WLC for 50 years, Jim says, “As one who had the privilege of practicing in, and managing, the Washington office of Foley & Lardner, I know the importance of large firms partnering with WLC to advance civil rights, while at the same time providing excellent pro bono legal experience for firm lawyers — a great combination!”
Divinity Pittman is the Associate Director of Development at the Washington Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs (WLC). She leads WLC’s fundraising work with foundations. Divinity brings 15 years of experience, generating and stewarding funds through direct mail campaigns, grant writing, donor cultivation, board management, events, and development operations. Divinity graduated with a Master’s degree in Public Affairs from Syracuse University (concentration in nonprofit management).
For decades, the Corina Higginson Trust has strengthened the nonprofit sector through its quiet yet steadfast commitment to advancing equity, opportunity, and community wellbeing.
At the Washington Lawyers’ Committee, we have been profoundly fortunate to be among the organizations uplifted by the Trust’s generosity and belief in the power of collective action. Their support has helped fuel critical civil rights litigation, expand community-centered advocacy, and elevate the voices of those too often pushed to the margins. Through their partnership, we have been able to stand with workers fighting discrimination, students demanding safe and equitable schools, tenants seeking dignity in their homes, and communities challenging systems that deny fairness and justice.
The Trust’s investment in our mission has been an affirmation of our shared conviction that meaningful change is both possible and necessary. Their final gift, like those before it, will continue to strengthen our ability to respond to emerging needs, confront longstanding inequities, and deepen our impact during this pivotal moment and well into the future.
We honor the legacy of the Corina Higginson Trust with gratitude and respect. Thank you for supporting our organization and for being a leader in moving the needle on social justice—your support will have a ripple impact on our society both now and for generations to come.
Thank you to everyone who supported our Giving Tuesday campaign.
Because of your generosity, we raised $24,000 from 46 donors toward our $90,000 Board Match.
And there’s more good news: the match continues through our year-end giving campaign. That means there is still time to double the impact of your gift and help us meet the full match before December 31.
If you’re looking for a meaningful holiday gift, please consider making a donation in honor of someone special—an inspiring way to support justice while celebrating the people you care about.
Your support powers the Washington Lawyers’ Committee’s work across the region—from living rooms to courtrooms. This winter, we're gathering with our community to share how your contributions are driving real change: protecting students in Shenandoah County, defending D.C.’s autonomy, and fighting for civil rights across the region.
Dec. 11: Shenandoah County School Board trial starts
Board Co-Chairs Joseph Davis (Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP) Avis Buchanan (retired)
The Washington Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs works to create legal, economic, and social equity for low-income marginalized communities in Maryland, Virginia, Washington DC, and across the country. We partner with individuals and communities facing discrimination and with the legal community to achieve justice. We bring strategic litigation to advance fair housing, disability rights, education equity, workers’ rights, immigrant justice, women’s rights, and criminal legal system reform.
