The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is a non-profit, non-partisan, membership organization devoted to ensuring free speech, equal rights, and other civil liberties. The ACLU of the District of Columbia (ACLU-DC) advocates to protect and expand civil liberties and civil rights for people who live in, work in, and visit D.C., and in matters involving federal employees and agencies. ACLU-DC pursues its mission through legal action, legislative advocacy, and public education. In addition to representing clients in court, they also work with government agencies to defend liberty without litigation. ACLU-DC also testify and lobby before the D.C. Council, and educate the public through Know Your Rights training and materials, appearances on radio and television, social media activity, and meetings with community groups.

They work on issues such as capital punishment, criminal justice reform, D.C. Statehood, disability rights, due process, equal protection, freedom of speech, government employees rights, immigrants' rights, LGBTQ rights, national security/war on terror, police practice and misconduct, privacy, racial justice, religious liberty, reproductive freedom, voting rights, women's rights and youth childrens' rights.