Protect Democracy Endorses Rep. Pressley and Sen. Markey’s “Ending Qualified Immunity Act”

On Monday, Protect Democracy joined a broad coalition of civil rights groups and other organizations in endorsing Rep. Ayanna Pressley and Sen. Ed Markey’s reintroduction of the “Ending Qualified Immunity Act of 2021.” Qualified immunity is a judge-made doctrine that has severely limited the ability of individuals to recover damages from public officials who violate their constitutional rights. The Ending Qualified Immunity Act would eliminate qualified immunity for all officials.

The Constitution provides important rights to individuals, among them the right to be free from unlawful searches and seizures, the right to due process, and the right to equal protection of the laws. When those rights are violated, individuals should be able to seek redress from the government for their injuries.

For too long, the qualified immunity doctrine has left individuals whose constitutional rights have been violated with no recourse. In particular, Black and Brown victims of violence perpetrated by law enforcement have been left without any remedy in case after case. Eliminating qualified immunity and ensuring that there is accountability for constitutional violations is key to revitalizing the rule of law and ensuring that the law protects all of our communities.

Read more about Protect Democracy’s work on ending qualified immunity for federal law enforcement.