Protecting Our Neighbors and Communities

Indiana Black Legislative Caucus

The Indianapolis Black Legislative Caucus shares information on protocols to protect our neighbors and communities during this time of uncertainty.

We know there is a lot of confusion and, rightfully, fear about Immigrations Customs and Enforcement (ICE) officers eventually making their way to Indiana. As we’ve watched the horrors out of Minneapolis — American citizens killed by federal agents as they practiced their First Amendment right to protest — it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and discouraged.

That’s exactly what those who seek to do harm to our communities are counting on. The following information, shared by The Community Sponsorship Hub, can be used to support refugees and immigrants in our communities.

If you and your family are refugees or immigrants, it’s important to have the following information collected:

• Full legal names for all family members
• Dates of birth
• A-Numbers (A#s)
• Social Security numbers (if issued)
• Current immigration status for each person
• Have they filed for their green card (Form I-485)?
• Is it pending?
• Has the green card been approved or received?
• Medical conditions or specific needs
• List of current medications, dosages, and prescribing doctors
• Health insurance information
• Emergency contact and preferred hospital or clinic

Beyond this crucial information, you should also have a plan for emergency and continuity of care:

• Children’s school, daycare or elder car contacts
• Allows designated contacts to notify schools or caregivers and arrange continued care if a parent or primary caregiver is detained
• Employer or manager contact information
• Allows someone to inform the employer if a working adult is detained and help protect employment, wages or benefits
• Landlord or property manager contact information
• Allows someone to communicate with the landlord if a family member is detained to request extensions, prevent eviction, and address rent or lease issues.
• Pet information (if applicable)
• Ensures pets can be safely cared for and not lost or surrendered if an owner is detained. This should include:
• Pet names, species, breed and microchip number (if any)
• Designated temporary caregiver or boarding facility contact
• Veterinarian and emergency vet contact information
• Vaccination records and medications
• Feeding schedule and special care instructions
• Proof of ownership (if retrieval from animal control or a shelter is needed)

You should also share the following contact information with multiple sponsors:

• Sponsor group members
• Immigration attorney (if applicable)
• Resettlement agency (if applicable)
• Employer(s)
• School/child care
• Emergency family contacts

You should plan to gather and make copies (both physical and digital) of all immigration documents.

• Everyone in the household should keep one complete set of copies for themselves
• A second complete set should be stored with a trusted person (family member, friend, sponsor)
• Originals should be kept in a safe, secure location

What Can I Do to Help?

Stay Informed and Take Action

THE NEED IS URGENT: SB 076 will proceed to Second Reading in the House (amend and debate) on Thursday, February 5, 2026. While it would be unusual to hold a final vote (Third Reading) the same day, it is not impossible.

SB 076, Immigration Matters, is on its way to a vote by the full House and enactment as law. It would make full compliance with the Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), by all civic institutions, including K-12 and higher education, the law in Indiana.

The Senate had removed parts of the bill applying to K-12 and higher education. But yesterday, the House Judiciary Committee reinserted those provisions, even adding some elements (e.g., a $10,000 fine for non-cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE) that failed in the legislature over the last two years.

The bill, as currently written, would require both K-12 schools and post-secondary institutions to cooperate with “all federal, state, and local law enforcement” in immigration matters.

What SB 076 Permits the Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement to do at Schools and Universities:

Under SB 076, the Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) could walk into your classroom and do anything they liked, and any resistance from you or the University could be punished with a $10,000 fine. The bill also goes after sanctuary cities, judges, and local sheriffs (e.g., Monroe County) that resist, threatening the entire community with a complete loss of state funding for a year if they resist ICE detainment orders (which are themselves of questionable legality).

It’s shocking that, having witnessed murders and illegal abductions of American citizens by ICE agents in Minnesota, House Republicans would blatantly pave the way to bring that chaos and reckless cruelty to Indiana. We must join thousands of others across the state to tell the Indiana House of Representatives how appalled we are by this bill.

Email all members of the House. The attached email list can be copied and pasted into the To: line of your email. You may well have your own reasons for outrage you wish to share, but here is a sample message:

I am deeply concerned by SB 076 as it passed out of the House Judiciary Committee. The amendment attached by the Judiciary Committee on Monday to SB 076 would force K-12 and University educators in Indiana to comply with any and all demands made by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in Minnesota have shown they are targeting individuals and detaining American citizens, and meeting those engaged in their right to protest with tear gas and violence, as evidenced by the recent tragic deaths.

Do we really want to allow recklessness and free access to our classrooms? Should an agency with disregard for civil rights be trusted to set up a database to surveil us, and to demand that educators fully comply with Immigration and Customs Enforcement demands for information to help develop such systems? I ask/urge/demand that you vote no on SB 076 when it comes to the House floor. Sincerely,

Find your Indiana House Representative, click here.

Indiana 211: Connecting Hoosiers to Holiday Support and Essential Resources

(December 16, 2025) – As the holiday season approaches, Indiana 211 is reminding Hoosiers that help is only three digits away. Whether families are seeking holiday meals, toy assistance, winter shelter, or support with basic needs, Indiana 211 is available?to connect residents with local, trustworthy resources across all 92 counties. 

Holiday and Winter Resource Support

• Hoosiers can contact 2-1-1 or search online at in211.org for statewide assistance programs including:

 Holiday Meals & Food Programs

• Christmas meal sites
• Emergency food pantries
• Holiday food box programs
• Community meals with extended winter hours

Winter Shelter & Warmth Resources

• Warming centers and overnight emergency shelters
• Severe Weather Contingency shelters
• Utility assistance agencies for heating support

Holiday Giving Programs

• Toy distribution
• Holiday clothing drives

Mental Health & Crisis Support

• Immediate emotional support
• Connections to local counseling, warm lines, and crisis teams
• Referrals for grief support resources

If you or someone you know is currently experiencing thoughts of suicide, or a mental health or substance use crisis, please call 988 to reach Suicide & Crisis Lifeline and speak with a trained crisis specialist 24/7.

Get Help or Speak with a Community Navigator

Phone: Dial 2-1-1 or 1-866-211-9966 

Available Mon.- Fri., 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

or

Text: Text your ZIP Code to 898-211

Available Mon.- Fri., 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

AACI Leads More than 30 Civic Organizations

in Opposition to HB1032

INDIANAPOLIS (December 10, 2025)—The African American Coalition of Indianapolis, AACI, a coalition of independent organizations, and coalition partners, unequivocally opposes the proposed mid-decade redistricting in Indiana. This proposed action is a blatant effort to manipulate political power at the expense of voters—including African American communities. It is nothing short of an assault on democratic principles of fairness and equal representation for all citizens.

HB 1032 is an unprecedented, highly partisan attack on the political efficacy of minority communities, such as Marion, Lake, Allen, Johnson, and St. Joseph counties. It has been suggested that over 2 million Hoosiers in urban, suburban and rural communities will be impacted by this bill.

Indiana law is clear: redistricting occurs after the decennial census to ensure fair and equal representation based on updated population data. There is no statutory or constitutional mandate for mid-decade redistricting. Any attempt to redraw maps now is not about fairness—it is about partisan advantage. It is a dangerous precedent that undermines the predictability and stability our electoral system depends on.

Historically, African Americans in Indiana have fought hard for representation—from overcoming Jim Crow-era voter suppression to challenging discriminatory practices in the courts. Mid-cycle redistricting, as proposed, threatens to roll back decades of progress to further engage Black voters in the political process and to gain further attention and accountability to address the unique needs and the commonly shared community concerns for all Hoosiers, such as quality education for all students and access to quality, affordable health care. We refuse to be silent while some seek to return Indiana to a time when political forces ruled Indiana that officially tried to silence Black voices and didn’t truly benefit all Hoosiers.

The proposed HB1032 maps would divide Marion County into four congressional districts. Under this plan, an Indianapolis resident near 38th & High School Road could be represented alongside voters living near the Ohio River, despite vastly different community needs. According to nonpartisan analysis, each district touching Marion County would drop to about 11% Black and 4% or less Hispanic population, weakening the ability of communities to elect representatives who understand local priorities. Current evidence is that many outsiders promoting Indiana redistricting aren’t making decisions and establishing priorities that are improving the quality of life for all Hoosiers,

Lawmakers attempt to rewrite the rules midstream is not governance—it is gerrymandering in its most cynical form. We call on every elected official to reject this power grab and uphold the principles enshrined in both Indiana law, in the Voting Rights Act, and in common sense decision making that promotes the best interest of all Hoosiers.

This process turns our democracy on its head with elected officials choosing their voters versus voters choosing who represents them. This is not what democracy looks like.

Our democracy is not a game. We are Hoosiers that want the best for us all.

Coalition Partners                            

Concerned Clergy of Indianapolis

Circle Up Indy

Evansville NAACP Branch #3048

Exchange at the Indianapolis Urban League

Fathers and Families Center

Flanner House

Fort Wayne Urban League

Greater Gary NAACP Branch #3050

Greater Indianapolis NAACP Branch #3053

Greater Terre Haute NAACP Branch #3068

Indiana Black Expo

Indiana Black Expo—Anderson Chapter

Indiana Black Expo—Elkhart Chapter

Indiana Black Expo—Gary Chapter

Indiana Black Expo—Indianapolis Chapter

Indiana Black Expo—Kokomo Chapter

Indiana Black Expo—South Bend Chapter

Indianapolis Professional Association

Indianapolis Urban League

Indy Black Chamber of Commerce

Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance of Indianapolis

Related Articles:

What Hoosiers Need to Know about HB1032 and What Can Be Done Now

WHO GETS HEARD? The High Cost of Redistricting that Diminishes Minority Voices

What Hoosiers Need to Know about HB1032 and
What Can Be Done Now

Overview 

Mid-decade redistricting, or redrawing political boundaries outside of the ten-year census cycle, is legally permitted in the United States but is relatively uncommon. When proposed, it raises important questions about representation, community cohesion, and public trust. Indiana has not historically engaged in mid-cycle redistricting, making current developments worthy of close public attention.

The Indiana House has introduced and passed HB1032 and released proposed congressional maps. Consideration of this legislation now shifts to the Indiana Senate, where public engagement will play a critical role.

Key Facts 

1. Legal Context

• Mid-decade redistricting is constitutional but controversial.
• Federal courts continue to review racial gerrymandering claims under the Voting Rights Act and the U.S. Constitution.
• Courts have made clear that minority vote dilution, whether through packing or cracking, is unlawful.

2. Indiana at a Glance

• Indiana has nine congressional districts.
• Proposed maps would divide Marion County into four districts.
• Modeling suggests minority populations would be redistributed in ways that reduce their ability to elect candidates of choice.
• Counties including Marion, Lake, Allen, Johnson, Hamilton, and St. Joseph would be split in ways not clearly justified by population balance.

3. Considerations for Minority Representation

• Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act prohibits minority vote dilution.
• The Fourteenth Amendment limits the use of race as a predominant factor unless necessary to comply with federal law.
• Analysis from nonpartisan groups indicates Black and Latino voters would be dispersed across several districts, weakening collective influence.
• Attempts within HB1032 to restrict judicial review raise additional constitutional concerns.

7th District Impact: Today, Indiana’s 7th Congressional District includes all of Marion County, the state’s most racially diverse county, where the population is approximately 49% white, 33% Black, and 12% Hispanic or Latino. Under HB1032, Marion County would be split across four districts, each reduced to about 11% Black and 4% or less Hispanic population, significantly weakening the ability of minority voters to collectively influence representation.

4. Policy Priorities for Hoosiers

• At a time when families across Indiana are concerned about health care access, food affordability, utility costs, education, and workforce stability, many residents question whether mid-cycle redistricting reflects the most pressing needs of communities statewide.

Why the Senate Matters 

The Indiana Senate will determine whether HB1032 advances. Senators have the authority to vote the bill down or prevent it from moving forward. Previous Senate actions demonstrate that lawmakers can choose to prioritize stability and core policy issues over mid-cycle map changes.

Call to Action 

Hoosiers are encouraged to remain informed and engaged by doing the following:

• Review the proposed HB1032 redistricting maps
• Share feedback respectfully with Indiana Senate leadership
• Contact Senate offices to express opposition to mid-cycle redistricting and HB1032
• Emphasize the need to focus legislative efforts on issues affecting daily life, including health care, food access, utilities, and cost of living

Indiana Senate contact line: 

(317) 232-9400

Public participation helps ensure decision-making remains transparent, accountable, and responsive to community needs.

 

Give a gift in memoriam.

The Indianapolis Urban League mourns the passing of the late Daryl Mason, a fraternity brother of the late Sam H. Jones (Omega Psi Phi).

Per the IndyStar

Mr. Daryl Lynn Mason, 73, transitioned to eternal life on November 17, 2025. On Wednesday, December 3, there will a Celebration of Life Service at 12:00 p.m. with visitation from 10:00 am and Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Memorial Service at 11:30 a.m. at University United Methodist Church, 5959 Grandview Drive, and interment at Crown Hill Cemetery. Services will be streamed via University United Methodist Church.  Memorial contributions may be made to: Indianapolis Urban League, 777 Indiana Avenue, Indianapolis, IN 46202, and Indianapolis Uplift Foundation Inc., (of which Omega Psi Phi is a sponsor) P.O. Box 441458, Indianapolis, IN 46244.

Daryl Mason, Butler basketball rebounds leader from Broad Ripple
who was ‘team player in life,’ died

FHCCI Releases New Report on Rising Rental Burdens

NDIANAPOLIS, IN (November 25, 2025)– Today, the Fair Housing Center of Central Indiana (FHCCI) releases a new report, State of Fair Housing Report – Rising Rental Burdens in the Indianapolis Metro, outlining growing challenges for renters in their search for affordable housing.

In the report, we share the following major findings:

• Half of all renters in Marion County are cost burdened, meaning they spend 30%+ of their monthly income on rent and utilities. A quarter of renters spend 50%+ of their income on housing (severely cost-burdened). Among households headed by seniors or people with disabilities, over 60% are rent-burdened, and nearly 40% are severely cost-burdened.
• The standard definition of housing cost-burden (spending 30%+ of income on housing costs) is limited. According to the Living Wage Calculator from MIT, in Marion County, a single parent with two children would have to make $100,849 a year, including only 8.5% spent on housing costs, to afford other basic expenses like childcare, food, medical costs, and transportation. (Notably, the cost of childcare for those two children is estimated to be almost double the cost of rent.)
• In 2015, the average asking rent for a market-rate apartment unit in the Indianapolis metro area was $899. By 2025, that rent had risen nearly 50% to $1,339. The most acute increases are among two- and three-bedroom apartments, which has a pronounced impact on families with children who need these larger apartments. Rent prices for single-family homes increased by over 40% from 2019 to 2025, reaching a median high of $1,625 in Marion County and $1,800 in the Indianapolis metro area.
• The rental vacancy rate reached a 15-year-plus low of 3.9% in 2024 in Marion County, and 4.2% in the Indianapolis metro area—far below a healthy vacancy rate. When vacancy rates are low, renters seeking new housing may be unable to find it, forcing them to stay unhoused or in units that may be overcrowded, unaffordable, or even unsafe.
• According to the National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC), the Indianapolis metro area has only 32 affordable and available rental units for every 100 households in the lowest income category of renters (comprising 29% of renters in the Indianapolis metro)—a deficit of 49,000 units. For the next 20% of renters, who are in the second-to-lowest income category of renters, NLIHC identified only 70 affordable and available rental units for every 100 households, a deficit of nearly 35,000 units.
• An FHCCI analysis of median renter incomes finds that there are virtually no multifamily units in Marion County that are affordable to households making less than 30% of the local renter median family income, who account for 26,000 (or 15%) of all renter households in Marion County. In the Indianapolis metro area, we find less than 500 multifamily units affordable to this category of renters, which comprises 42,000 households in the Indianapolis metro area.
• There were over 24,000 new multifamily units constructed in the Indianapolis metro area between 2020-2025, including 6,500 units in Marion County. These units were more likely to be studio and one-bedroom apartments, as compared to units constructed prior to 2020, and less likely to be two-, three-, or four-bedroom apartments. Rents in newly constructed properties are, on average, 41% more expensive than rents in pre-2020 properties across the metro area, with the average rent exceeding $1,500 for a two-bedroom and $2,000 for a three-bedroom in a newly constructed property.
• Only one in four households that qualify for housing assistance ever receive it. In Marion County, only 76% of the available housing choice vouchers were utilized in 2024. If chosen in a lottery, families have had to wait an average of three years on a waitlist before being able to get a voucher. Indiana is one of only a handful of states that preempts municipalities from banning discrimination against voucher-holders. As a result, tenants with vouchers still struggle to find housing. According to the IHCDA, 47% of tenants in LIHTC units across the state also use an additional source of federal rental assistance, such as a housing choice voucher, in part because LIHTC properties are required to accept vouchers, so voucher holders may frequently seek housing there. Also, the median income for LIHTC households statewide is $16,900, making it impossible to afford rent in their LIHTC unit without an additional housing subsidy.
• Close to 5,000 units in subsidized properties across the Indianapolis metro area are due to expire in the next five years if their owners choose not to renew or forgo entering a new subsidy contract.
• Renters also must contend with rising utility costs. Monthly utility costs increased by $35.75 (20%) from 2018 to 2023 (most recent years of data) in the metro area. Statewide, monthly residential electric bills rose 18% from 2024 to 2025.
• On top of rent and utilities, renters may pay hundreds of additional dollars in “junk fees,” from accumulating monthly fees for “technology” and “amenities” to mandatory one-off junk fees required at move-in on top of the security deposit, making it harder for renters to move and impacting affordability.

The downstream consequence of rising rent burdens is that more families are pushed into or at risk of homelessness. Meanwhile, some top local landlords have seen revenues soar, including three which doubled or tripled in earnings. We conclude our report with recommendations for policymakers to address this affordable rental housing crisis.

To download the full report, visit the FHCCI’s News Page or our Reports Page.

On December 16, 2025 from 2:00-3:30 PM ET, the FHCCI will be hosting a webinar which will include a review of this report’s findings. To learn more or to register, visit our events page.

In recent years, the FHCCI has released the following consumer-driven housing reports through its The State of Fair Housing in Indiana series:

• Marion County Foreclosure Update-September 2025 (2025)
• The Insurance Crisis Hits Home (2025)
• Marion County Foreclosure Update-March 2025 (2025)
• Mortgage Lending in Allen County for Year 2023 (2025)
• Who Owns Central Indiana’s Houses: An Update of the Largest Single-Family Home Investors (2025)
• Foreclosure Filings in Marion County (2024)
• The Promise and Perils of Alternative Home Financing (2024)
• Highlighting Housing Impacts From Our Changing Environment (2024)
• Unstable Land: The Fair Housing Challenges for Manufactured Housing Residents (2024)
• A Review of Fair Housing Complaints in Indiana, Years 2019-2023 (2024)
• Mortgage Lending Update for Marion County, Years 2021-2022 (2024)
• Who Owns Indy’s Houses: A Review of the Largest Single-Family Home Investors (2023)
• No Way Home: Tenant Screening Barriers to Housing (2023)
• Our Changing Neighborhoods: The Impact of Investors, Foreclosures, and Mortgage Lending (2022)
• At What Cost? Rents, Burdens, Evictions, and Profits in Marion County (2022)
• FHA & VA Mortgage Lending in Marion County, Years 2018-2021 (2022)
• Mortgage Lending in Marion County, Years 2018-2020 (2022)

_____________________________________________

The Fair Housing Center of Central Indiana (FHCCI) is a private, nonprofit fair housing organization based in Indianapolis, Indiana. Its mission is to facilitate open housing for all people by ensuring the availability of affordable and accessible housing; promoting housing choice and homeownership; advocating for an inclusive housing market; working toward stable and equitable communities; and eradicating discrimination within Central Indiana, the State of Indiana, and nationally. For more information, visit: https://link.edgepilot.com/s/92817240/P6AZoZ8BZUCgto16PnOxWQ?u=http://www.fhcci.org/

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NATIONAL URBAN LEAGUE: SHUTDOWN ENDS BUT THE FIGHT FOR JUSTICE AND STABILITY IS FAR FROM OVER

NEW YORK (November 13, 2025) — National Urban League President and CEO Marc H. Morial issued the following statement in response to the end of the most recent federal government shutdown:

“The reopening of the federal government after 43 days of dysfunction is a welcome relief, but let us be clear: this shutdown was never a mere budget dispute—it inflicted real harm on millions of Americans and undermined the stability of our democracy because Republicans in Congress and the Administration refused to address the healthcare crisis that threatens to leave millions  of Americans uninsured. Families were forced to choose between food and rent. Small businesses, particularly those owned by women and people of color, were cut off from vital loans and contracts. Federal workers and military families endured weeks without pay, and essential programs like SNAP were thrown into chaos despite there being existing authorities and funding to continue them.

“The damage lingers. Communities already struggling have been pushed closer to the brink, and confidence in our institutions has been shaken. This crisis exposed the fragility of systems that millions depend on and the devastating consequences of partisan gamesmanship.

“We call on Congress and the Administration to move beyond brinkmanship and commit to governing responsibly. That means passing full-year funding bills for all of the federal government that ensure appropriated funding will be spent as provided in law, protecting health care access, strengthening economic opportunity, and upholding the integrity of our democratic institutions. It means ensuring that never again will the American people be held hostage to political extremism.”

WHO GETS HEARD?

The High Cost of Redistricting that Diminishes Minority Voices

Protect Every Voice. Defend Democracy.

Gerrymandering at Mid-Decade: A Direct Attack on Representation and Democracy

When Maps Silence Voices: The Fight for True Democracy

In Louisiana v. Callais,

Supreme Court Holds The Fate Of Voting Rights In Its Hands

Marc H. Morial
President and CEO
National Urban League

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 27, 2025

“This act flows from a clear and simple wrong. Its only purpose is to right that wrong. Millions of Americans are denied the right to vote because of their color. This law will ensure them the right to vote. The wrong is one which no American, in his heart, can justify. The right is one which no American, true to our principles, can deny.” – President Lyndon B. Johnson, signed the Voting Rights Act of 1964

The Supreme Court holds the future of America in its hands this week. It gets to decide whether this is a nation that serves a great many or only the voices of a select few. It is going to determine if we are charting a path towards fulfilling our promise of liberty, justice, and the pursuit of happiness for all, or backsliding to a dark past where a racial caste system denied the right to vote to millions of Americans based on the color of their skin.

That is what is at the heart of Louisiana v. Callais, a case that will decide the legality of a Congressional map that adequately reflects the population of the same state where the very same court declared segregation legal just over a century ago in Plessy v. Ferguson.

In Louisiana v. Callais, a group of “non-African-American” voters is decrying that a newly created district in 2024 that allotted for two majority African American Congressional districts, two of six, which directly reflects the state’s Black population, discriminates against them.

Civil rights groups argue that the new district is lawful under Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act of 1964 (VRA). For those of you unfamiliar with Section 2, it allows for legal action against state entities, including states, counties, and municipalities, on the following factors:

1. The history of official voting-related discrimination in the state or political subdivision;
2. The extent to which voting in the elections of the state or political subdivision is racially polarized.
3. The extent to which the state of political subdivision has used voting practices or procedures that tend to enhance the opportunity for discrimination against the minority group, such as extensive election districts, majority-vote requirements, and prohibitions against ballot voting.
4. The exclusion of members of the minority group from candidate slating processes;
5. The extent to which minority group members bear the effects of discrimination in areas such as education, employment, and health hinders their ability to participate effectively in the political process.
6. The use of overt or subtle racial appeals in political campaigns; and
7. The extent to which members of the minority group have been elected to public office in the jurisdiction.

Let’s look at the history of Louisiana, a state that allowed generations of poll taxes, literacy tests, race-based terror, and again, Plessy v. Ferguson, to mar its past; the state has a history of voting discrimination.

It is also clear that favoring a Congressional map that concentrates political power in a party that has demonstrated that the needs of working-class and poor Louisianans, who are disproportionately Black, don’t matter is also a violation.

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (LA-04) has presided over a Congress that has passed a massive spending bill that provided one of the most significant wealth transfers in American history from the poor to the wealthy, while slashing Medicaid and SNAP benefits. The same bill slashed the environmental protections in a state home to Cancer Alley, a 150-mile stretch of oil refineries and chemical plants through majority African American communities.

And make no mistake, striking down Section 2 won’t stop at disenfranchisement in Louisiana. In the last two, North Carolina, Missouri, and Texas have been directed to redraw their state maps to increase Republican seats in the House of Representatives.

Gutting section 2 of the VRA is not only a disgrace but an assault on the 15th Amendment, the Constitution, and what it means to live in America itself.

If this is a nation where every American should have the right to freedom and to have a voice in the future of this country, then we must call out when the highest court in the land chooses to silence large swaths of us based on the color of our skin and our beliefs.

This is an attack on Black voting power, an attack on Black America, and an attack on the future of American Democracy.

###

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

CIVIL RIGHTS LEADERS URGE CONGRESS TO SUPPORT DELAURO-MURRAY PROPOSAL AND END THE HARMFUL IMPACTS OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN

WASHINGTON, D.C. and NEW YORK (October 8, 2025) – Leaders of the nation’s top civil rights organizations issued the following statement in response to the federal government shutdown:

This shutdown is not just a political impasse—it’s a failure of leadership. We call on Congress and the White House to protect Americans from skyrocketing healthcare premiums and ensure that taxpayer dollars are used to serve the public—not withheld as leverage against the immediate reopening of the government.

The ongoing government shutdown is causing real harm to communities across the country, and it’s time for those in power to take responsibility and pass legislation that would safeguard critical services for millions of Americans, including Black communities.

The White House has the duty to show leadership and bring the parties to the table to end this crisis, restore government operations, preserve millions of Americans’ access to affordable healthcare, and ensure that federal funding is used for its intended purposes—not held hostage for political gain or rescinded in contradiction of Congress’s spending power under the U.S. Constitution.

Every day the shutdown continues, Americans are suffering in numerous ways including:

• Hundreds of thousands of federal workers have been furloughed or are working without pay, impacting many Black people who have devoted their careers to public service.
• Local communities are losing access to over $60 billion in federal funding, jeopardizing essential services and infrastructure.
• Veterans are being denied critical support. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has halted transition assistance, career counseling, and outreach. VA regional offices are closed, call centers are offline, and even cemetery services—including headstone placements and pre-need burial applications—have ceased.
• Military families are facing financial strain. Active-duty service members and civilian employees are working without pay, making it harder to cover basic living expenses.
• Women and children who rely on the WIC nutrition program, including many Black families, could lose access to food assistance within days, at a time when grocery prices remain unaffordable for many.
• Patients at military treatment facilities are seeing elective surgeries and procedures postponed or canceled, adding stress and uncertainty to already difficult health situations.
• National parks are partially closed, with gated areas locked and services suspended, impacting tourism and local economies.
• Federal research and public health efforts at the National Institutes of Health and Centers for Disease Control have ground to a halt, delaying progress on life-saving initiatives.
• The Food and Drug Administration is unable to review new drug applications, stalling innovation and access to treatments.
• The Department of Housing and Urban Development’s ability to process grants, inspect properties, fight housing discrimination, and provide housing assistance is severely diminished.
• Census Bureau activities, which support the fair, accurate, and democratic counting and representation of the American people, will mostly cease.
• Regular Occupational Safety and Health Administration inspections are ceased, thus potentially jeopardizing the health and safety of our workforce.
• Social Security and Medicare services may be delayed, leaving seniors and vulnerable populations without timely support.
• Federal courts are likely to run out of funding on October 17, denying people access to justice.

The American people deserve better. It’s time to put partisanship aside and put the country first.

Marc H. Morial

President and Chief Executive Officer

National Urban League

Reverend Al Sharpton

Founder and President

National Action Network

Melanie Campbell?

President and Chief Executive Officer?

National Coalition on Black Civic Participation?

and Convener Black Women’s Roundtable?

?Derrick Johnson??

President and Chief Executive Officer?

NAACP?

Janai Nelson?

President and Director-Counsel?

NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund, Inc.?

Damon Hewitt??

President and Executive Director?

Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law?

Shavon Arline-Bradley??

President and Chief Executive Officer?

National Council of Negro Women??