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title: "November 2026 Newsletter: Virginians codify 3 civil rights protections in VA constitution; WLC urges DC Council to halt DC police cooperation with ICE; honoring Roger Warin's legacy"
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| View in browser November 2026 Dear Friend,   Virginia voters codify three civil rights protections in VA constitution!   While the country is still absorbing the shock waves of the Blue Tsunami, there’s a profound transformation underway in Virginia that will create a more inclusive and welcoming democracy — on a permanent basis.   On Nov. 3, Virginians went to the polls and made history: they approved three constitutional amendments protecting voting rights, reproductive freedom, and marriage equality. All three passed with strong majorities, enshrining these protections as fundamental rights in the Virginia constitution. VOTING RIGHTS  The constitutional amendment guarantees automatic restoration of voting rights to people with felony convictions who have completed their sentences.   Dating back to 1902, the Virginia constitution disenfranchised people convicted of felonies. Felony disenfranchisement has long been used to silence voters and exclude Black voters from the democratic process.   The amendment removes that barrier. It also replaces a restriction for people found to be mentally incompetent with a more specific standard requiring a court to find that a person lacks the capacity to understand the act of voting.   This is a profound step toward a more inclusive democracy, allowing thousands more Virginians to vote and have a voice in their government.   REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS The constitutional amendment establishes a fundamental right to reproductive freedom in the Virginia Constitution by protecting access to birth control, fertility treatments, and abortion care through the second trimester. The amendment also shields healthcare providers from criminal prosecution for providing reproductive care. Virginia has now become the only southern state without deep restrictions on abortion.   MARRIAGE EQUALITY The constitutional amendment repeals the 2006 Virginia ban on same-sex marriage and ensures equal legal treatment of all marriages in Virginia.   While marriage equality is already protected under federal law, this amendment guards against the possibility that the U.S. Supreme Court could overturn Obergefell v. Hodges, the 2015 ruling guaranteeing marriage equality. It also codifies Loving v. Virginia, the Court’s 1967 ruling protecting interracial marriage.   Virginians have spoken loudly and clearly: the civil rights of all Virginians are protected in the state constitution — regardless of race, gender, sex, or ability.   May Virginia lead the way for states across the country.   Together For Justice,   Joanne Lin Executive Director Washington Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs WLC Urges D.C. Council to Investigate Police Involvement in Immigration Enforcement   Starting in 2025, the Trump administration has flooded D.C. neighborhoods with federal immigration agents who have shot at, chased, and illegally arrested D.C. residents. Despite D.C. laws designed to prevent Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officers from assisting with federal immigration enforcement, D.C. residents have sounded the alarm about MPD officers facilitating the administration’s efforts.   On November 5, Maddy Gates, WLC counsel, testified before the D.C. Council’s Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety to demand transparency and accountability. She shared reports from D.C. residents about instances of apparent coordination between MPD and federal immigration agents. Maddy urged the Council to investigate reports of coordination and to use its oversight authority to end any MPD involvement in immigration enforcement.   Read Maddy’s testimony here. Angela Rambert has joined the Washington Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs (WLC) as an Open Horizon Fellow. She is litigating disability cases in the employment, housing, education, prisons, and public accommodations settings, with a focus on working with disability rights organizations and parent groups in Maryland.   Angela graduated from Georgetown University Law Center in 2025 and recently completed a year-long fellowship with Georgetown University Health Justice Alliance.   Angela shares, “I’m excited to join WLC as an Open Horizon Fellow. Over the course of my three-year fellowship, I will strive to change policies and practices that harm disabled populations in Maryland, and help to ensure everyone has the opportunity and resources to thrive.” Washington Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs (WLC) honors the life and legacy of Roger Eugene Warin — a distinguished lawyer, dedicated civil rights attorney, and valued leader of the WLC board of directors. Roger passed away peacefully, surrounded by his loving family, on October 21, 2026, in Arlington, Virginia, following a hard-fought illness.   Roger joined Steptoe in 1971, becoming a distinguished trial lawyer and civil rights pro bono advocate spanning more than 55 years.   Roger’s connection to WLC was deep and profound — serving on the WLC board of directors for 35 years, including a term as board chair. Beginning in 1975, Roger represented WLC and other civil rights plaintiffs in over 40 cases. These cases included federal sector employment class actions, successful challenges to denials of fair housing, and groundbreaking litigation on behalf of people with disabilities. Roger served as co-counsel in a major class action brought on behalf of Black employees at the Federal Trade Commission. His skillful counsel contributed to a landmark settlement that improved the employment opportunities for hundreds of racial minorities.   Roger’s legacy of legal excellence, leadership, and civil rights reflects the highest ideals of the legal profession and the enduring mission of WLC. In 2006, Roger was presented with the Wiley A. Branton Award — WLC’s most prestigious honor bestowed for lifetime achievement, leadership, and service in civil rights. Roger served as Steptoe chair of the board for over a decade. His leadership was a vital force in Steptoe’s exceptional commitment to pro bono service, including its decision in 1992 to become one of the first Washington firms to name a full-time public service counsel. Steptoe’s enduring commitment to WLC lives on today, as Steptoe is currently sponsoring Natalie Geismar as a two-year Equal Justice Works fellow. Natalie is litigating prisoners’ civil rights cases, including cases on behalf of incarcerated trans women. Roger was also a founding member of the D.C. Access to Justice Commission in 2005, which advocates for public interest and pro bono legal services.   All of us at WLC celebrate Roger’s remarkable life, honor his many contributions, and extend our heartfelt condolences to the Warin extended family, the Steptoe community, and Roger’s many friends.   Obituary Coming Down the Pike So Many Ways to Stand With Us!   Your support powers the Washington Lawyers’ Committee’s work across the region — from living rooms to courtrooms.   November 14: Fall reception (Cleveland Park, NW, D.C.)   December 1: Giving Tuesday!   Please contact Angela Schlagel, angela\_schlagel@washlaw.org, for more information. Reach Out to Us Ryan Downer  ✉  Legal Director Joanne Lin  ✉  Executive Director Tanya Edelin  ✉  COO/CFO Board Co-Chairs Brian Schneider (ArentFox Schiff) 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. Donate Washington Lawyers' Committee, 700 14th Street, NW, Washington, DC Unsubscribe Manage preferences |
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