ACLU Fund of Michigan

Background

The ACLU Fund of Michigan was formed in 1971. ¹ Both the ACLU of Michigan and the affiliated ACLU of Michigan Fund claim more than 40,000 members in Michigan. ²

Issues

The ACLU Fund of Michigan has advocated for left-of-center policies, such as eliminating cash bail, expanding hate crimes legislation to include LGBT individuals, allowing transgender athletes born male to compete on women’s athletic teams, and comparing President Donald Trump’s ban on immigration from certain mostly Muslim-majority countries to Japanese internment camps during World War II. ^{3 4 5}

Immigration

In May 2021, the ACLU of Michigan and other groups sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security urging Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to end collaborative efforts with local police departments on illegal immigration. ⁶ During the COVID-19 pandemic, the ACLU of Michigan sued ICE to release illegal immigrants in custody who may be at higher risk of COVID complications. ⁷

Crime

In 2020, the ACLU of Michigan filed an amicus brief with the Michigan Supreme Court over a shooting of a LGBT individual. ⁸ The ACLU’s brief argued for broadening the hate crime definition by asking the court to consider it a hate crime if the person was gay and the shooting was based on their gender status. ⁸

Election Administration

The ACLU of Michigan opposes voter protection measures that include requiring a photo ID to vote in person or to apply for an absentee ballot and prohibiting the use of pre-paid absentee ballots. ⁹ The proposed legislation would also limit the number of absentee ballot drop boxes and require security cameras on boxes. ⁹

Finances

In 2019, the ACLU Fund of Michigan reported $4,797,139 in revenue and $3,601,940 in expenses. ¹ The previous year, the Fund raised $3,675,895 in revenue and reported $4,788,420 in expenses. ¹⁰ In 2019, volunteer attorneys provided 14,875 hours of pro bono work for the ACLU Fund of Michigan valued at $9,095,299. ¹¹

In 2021, the ACLU Fund of Michigan received $316,320 from the Michigan Justice Fund to examine decisions made by prosecutors that impact racial minorities. ¹² The ACLU of Michigan has also received grants from the Collaborative for Gender and Reproductive Equity, a group that funds left-wing organizations. ¹³

Leadership

Rana Elmir is the acting executive director of the ACLU of Michigan. ¹⁴ Previously, she spent eight years as the deputy director of the organization and eight years as the communications director. ¹⁵ Elmir also worked as director of programs and outreach at the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee and communications director for Life for Relief and Development. ¹⁵ Elmir has written that Trump’s ban on immigration from certain mostly Muslim-majority countries was the equivalent of Japanese-American internment during World War II. ⁵

David Noble was executive director of the ACLU of Michigan for two years until January 2021 when he left to work for the Biden administration. ¹⁶ Previously, Noble worked for the Obama administration as Deputy Director and Acting Director of the Presidential Personnel Office, Office of First Lady Michelle Obama, and as White House Liaison and Deputy Chief of Staff at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). ¹⁷ Noble previously worked for Obama For America and as executive director at National Stonewall Democrats. ¹⁸