Research & Publications

2022 was an important year for civil liberties in Kansas. Here's a look back to the battles we fought to defend our rights.

Though this may seem like a bleak picture I’m painting of LGBTQ+ Kansans’ experiences, it’s important that we remember it does not have to be this way. In fact, most Kansans want to protect LGBTQ+ people—67% of Kansans support LGBTQ+ non-discrimination protections.

Religious freedom is a fundamental constitutional right. Religious rationales have also been used to justify discrimination throughout United States history, including today. This begs the question: what are the limits on the freedom of religion when it intersects with other constitutional rights?

Across the country, legislators and policymakers have attempted to crack down on illegal immigration by contracting with local law enforcement to enforce immigration policy. But being undocumented is not a crime, and local law enforcement have no obligation to help the federal government enforce immigration law. However, dozens of sheriff’s offices across the country—including two in Kansas—spend local resources and collaborate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to identify, detain, and turn over noncitizens for deportation. One way ICE enlists local law enforcement is through the 287(g) program, a set of agreements that deputize local officers to perform immigration enforcement functions, primarily in jails. Since their inception, 287(g) agreements have given rise to racial profiling, civil rights violations, and breakdowns in community relations. Nevertheless, the Trump administration dramatically expanded the program, with no signs of a rollback under the Biden administration. As a result, 287(g) agreements continue to disrupt communities and fuel racism and xenophobia in Kansas and around the country.

We have developed this toolkit to help impacted individuals advocate for themselves or family members to file for relief from registration under the Kansas Offender Registration Act.