SOCIAL JUSTICE BLOG
Read and share the extraordinary stories from the frontlines of social change
PolyMet's Water Pollution Permit For Sulfide Ore Mine Thrown Out!
The Minnesota Supreme Court’s decision to throw out PolyMet’s water pollution permit was a complete vindication of WaterLegacy’s work after many years of investigation and litigation, much of which was supported by the Impact Fund. The Minnesota Supreme Court not only reversed a major PolyMet permit, but also held that “secrecy is unacceptable.” The Court’s decision has already been cited several times, and we believe it will have important precedential value in Minnesota to protect clean water and regulatory integrity.
Nationwide Class Action Affirms Immigrants’ Rights to their A-Files
This litigation has yielded an unprecedented victory. On December 17, 2020, Judge Orrick issued an order vindicating immigrants’ right to timely receive their A-Files. Finding an “unmistakable history of failing to make timely determinations on A-File FOIA requests,” the court granted declaratory relief that USCIS, ICE, and DHS have a pattern or practice of violating FOIA’s statutory deadlines. This violation, the court wrote, “undermines the fairness of immigration proceedings, particularly for the vast number of noncitizens who navigate our immigration system without assistance of counsel.” Recognizing the need for enforceable and longstanding relief, the court permanently enjoined USCIS, ICE, and DHS from further violations, and ordered defendants to reduce the backlog of A-File FOIA requests within sixty days and release quarterly compliance reports.