We have been watching closely alongside the rest of Connecticut as the COVID-19 pandemic has touched every aspect of daily life. While the news is changing by the hour, we are committed to doing everything we can to safeguard the health, safety, and rights of all people in Connecticut, and to ensuring the State of Connecticut’s response protects vulnerable and marginalized people. We firmly believe any response to this pandemic must be grounded in science and public health. The ACLU of Connecticut will be watching closely to ensure the State of Connecticut’s response is scientifically justified and no more intrusive on civil liberties than absolutely necessary. 

Here you will find information about the ACLU of Connecticut's’s response to COVID-19, including recommendations and letters to public officials, statements, joint letters with other organizations, and blog updates — as well as other resources. Above all, the ACLU of Connecticut believes:

  • Any coronavirus response should be grounded in science and public health, and not be politicized
  • Any response plan must protect the health, safety, and civil liberties of all
  • State leaders should encourage voluntary compliance with self-isolation measures as much as possible
  • State leaders must pay particular attention to the most marginalized and vulnerable people in our society

Join us by taking action. Tell Governor Lamont to act now to protect incarcerated people from COVID-19.

Statements

A.Statements

A.

March 11, 2020 - ACLU of Connecticut Comment on State of Connecticut Response to COVID-19

March 12, 2020 - ACLU of Connecticut Urges State Officials to Use Existing Powers to Release People Awaiting Trial, Certain Other Incarcerated People During COVID-19 Pandemic

March 24, 2020 - ACLU of Connecticut Reaction to First Positive COVID-19 Test of a Connecticut Department of Correction Worker

March 27, 2020 - ACLU of Connecticut Sends Emergency Request to Connecticut Judicial Branch Seeking Temporary Rules Change to Reduce Pre-Trial Detention During COVID-19 Pandemic

March 30, 2020 - ACLU of Connecticut Reaction to First Positive COVID-19 Test of an Adult Incarcerated in Connecticut 

April 3, 2020 - ACLU of Connecticut Files Emergency Lawsuit to Force Governor, Commissioner of Corrections to Protect Incarcerated People from COVID-19

April 13, 2020 - ACLU of Connecticut Reacts to First Death from COVID-19 of a Person Incarcerated by the State of Connecticut

April 15, 2020 - ACLU of Connecticut Statement Regarding Today's Hearing in CCDLA et al v Lamont et al 

April 21, 2020 - ACLU of Connecticut Files Emergency Lawsuit to Force Governor, Commissioner of Correction to Protect Incarcerated People from COVID-19

April 21, 2020 - ACLU of Connecticut Statement Regarding Westport Drone COVID-19 Pilot Program

April 25, 2020 - ACLU of Connecticut Statement Regarding State Court Dismissal of Connecticut Criminal Defense Lawyers et al v Lamont et al

May 6, 2020 - Federal Court Allows Class Action Lawsuit (McPherson et al v Lamont et al) Seeking to Protect Incarcerated People from COVID-19 to proceed

May 20, 2020 - Reaction to Governor Lamont Executive Order Extending Absentee Vote-by-Mail for August Primary Election

June 7, 2020 - Statement Regarding Settlement Reached in Federal Lawsuit Seeking to Protect Incarcerated People from COVID-19

July 2, 2020 - Groups File Federal Lawsuit Seeking to Expand Connecticut Absentee Voting in 2020 Elections Due to COVID-19

July 29, 2020 - Reaction to the Connecticut General Assembly's Passage of Pandemic Absentee Voting Bill

September 16, 2020 - Reaction to Department of Correction's Transfer of COVID Unit from Northern Correctional Institution to MacDougall Correctional

October 28, 2020 - Department of Correction in Violation of COVID-19 Lawsuit Settlement

December 2, 2020 - Connecticut Vaccine Rollout Must Include Incarcerated People

March 25, 2021 - Statement Reacting to "Vaccine Passports" Comments by Governor Ned Lamont

Letters & Recommendations to Government Officials

Joint Letters

Videos & Additional Resources

A.Videos & Additional Resources

A.

March 20, 2020 - Smart Justice leader Alex Brown to Gov. Lamont & Members of the Connecticut General Assembly

March 23, 2020 - Smart Justice leader Brian Sullivan to Gov. Lamont & Members of the Connecticut General Assembly

March 23, 2020 - Smart Justice leader Ciara Rosati to Gov. Lamont & Members of the Connecticut General Assembly

March 24, 2020 - Smart Justice leader Donald Rivers to Gov. Lamont & Members of the Connecticut General Assembly

March 24, 2020 - Smart Justice leader Shelby Henderson to Gov. Lamont & Members of the Connecticut General Assembly

March 25, 2020 - Smart Justice leader Sean Sellars to Gov. Lamont & Members of the Connecticut General Assembly

March 27, 2020 - Virtual Briefing with Medical, Rights Leaders Regarding COVID-19 in Connecticut Prisons & Jails

April 13, 2020 - Connecticut Agencies Have a Lot of Independent Authority to Protect Public Health by Releasing Incarcerated People. So Far, these Agencies Have Refused to Act.

April 21, 2020 - If Connecticut Prisons and Jails Were a Town, They'd Have the Highest Infection Rate in the State

May 11, 2020 - What's Actually Happening With Connecticut's Discretionary Releases From Prisons and Jails? 

May 13, 2020 - Protecting Public Health and the Right to Vote Means Expanding Vote-by-Mail 

May 21, 2020 - Lamont's "Re"Opening Runs the Risk of Widening Inequities in Our State

August 27, 2020 - We Need Your Help to Hold the DOC Accountable

September 1, 2020 - Removing Collateral Consequences of a Criminal Record is Now More Important than Ever

*Monthly, from August through December 2020* - McPherson v Lamont Settlement Documents: DOC Testing and Release Reports

Lawsuits