The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression’s mission is to defend and sustain the individual rights of all Americans to free speech and free thought—the most essential qualities of liberty.
FIRE is suing the Department of Homeland Security and ICE over Freedom of Information Act requests about an ICE database of protesters DHS failed to respond to.
Retired law enforcement officer Larry Bushart, who was jailed for 37 days for posting a Donald Trump meme about Charlie Kirk, wins $835,000 settlement after First Amendment lawsuit.
Vinita Prabhakar seeks reinstatement, damages, and a declaration that public college officials cannot punish professors for teaching viewpoints they dislike.
FIRE is suing Pam Bondi and Kristi Noem for censoring a Facebook group and app that was reporting on ICE activity.
I've never backed down from a fight in my life, and I don't plan to start now. I took an oath to defend the Constitution. Now, it's time to stand up for it again.
Tennessee state employee sues after unlawful firing for Charlie Kirk post
FIRE Plaintiff
Monica Meeks is a combat veteran and lifelong public servant fired for criticizing Charlie Kirk from her personal Facebook shortly after his assassination, but under the First Amendment, public employers can’t fire people simply because the government doesn’t approve of their off-duty speech. So FIRE is suing on Monica’s behalf, seeking reinstatement and damages.
The Pentagon designated Anthropic a supply chain risk because it believes the company is insufficiently "patriotic" and "fundamentally incompatible with American principles."
FIRE joined the First Amendment Lawyers Association and Woodhull Freedom Foundation in an amicus brief in support of xAI, which even though the court did not grant leave to file, explained how concerns over Minnesota House File 1606 far transcend the plaintiff.
A state government cannot regulate nationwide online speech just because a website happens to be accessible within its borders.
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Each year, FIRE reviews thousands of potential cases involving individuals and groups whose rights are threatened. FIRE’s team of legal and advocacy experts have decades of experience protecting free speech both on and off college campuses.
FEATURED CASES
Streever v. Mullin, et al.
Screenshot from David Streever's Nest home video shows federal agents walk up the front steps and repeatedly ring the doorbell.
The freedom to criticize law enforcement without fear of punishment is an essential right in the United States. In fact, it’s one of the things that separates our free nation from a police state. But officials at the Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement don't seem to understand this.
Five months after a Rochester man, David Streever, wrote a critical email to the then-head of ICE during the agency’s January crackdown in Minnesota, federal officers recently went to extraordinary lengths to confront and intimidate him — even going so far as to stake out his New York City hotel as he returned from an overseas vacation with his daughter.
Stanford Daily Publishing Corporation v. Marco Rubio
FIRE sued Secretary of State Marco Rubio, challenging two federal immigration law provisions that give him unchecked power to revoke legal immigrants’ visas and deport them for protected speech. Rubio and the Trump administration have waged an assault on free speech, targeting foreign university students for deportation based on bedrock protected speech like writing op-eds and attending protests. Their attack is casting a pall of fear over millions of noncitizens, who now worry that voicing the “wrong” opinion about America or Israel will result in deportation.
Rishel v. City of Allentown, et al.: Police Assault and Charge Protester for Recording and Criticizing Them
FIRE plaintiff Phil Rishel in Allentown, Pennsylvania (Maikeewee Photography LLC)
To protest the Allentown Police Department's long history of brutality and misconduct, and to advocate for greater police accountability, Phil Rishel non-disruptively films Allentown police officers while standing on public sidewalks outside local police precincts. But Allentown police don't like the attention, and they haven't been shy about letting Rishel know it.
Alexis Luttrell v. City of Germantown: Tennessee town cites woman for using skeletons in holiday decorations
FIRE plaintiff Alexis Luttrell with her lawn skeletons at her home in Germantown, Tennessee.
Alexis Luttrell, a resident of Germantown, likes skeletons. She incorporates a pair of decorative skeletons into different holiday displays in her yard, including into her Christmas decor. But Germantown officials believe skeletons may only celebrate Halloween, so they cited Luttrell for violating the city's Holiday Decorations Ordinance, which prohibits residents from having displays on their private property more than 45 days before or 30 days after the “intended” holiday. Germantown threatened Alexis with fines and an order requiring her to take down her decorations.
FIRE sued. Our lawsuit challenges Germantown’s Holiday Decorations Ordinance, arguing the content-based, viewpoint-discriminatory, and vague regulation violates Luttrell’s and other residents’ First Amendment rights. We are asking the court to strike down the ordinance and allow residents to express holiday cheer however they choose.
Censoring public comments. Compelling speech. Suing people into silence. Sometimes it feels like no words are safe from suppression and coercion. FIRE’s First Amendment Freedom Operation proves that violating First Amendment rights has consequences. We take on cases of everyday people who run afoul of government officials just for speaking their minds. And we’re determined to emerge victorious, knowing a win for our clients is a win for all Americans.
