In Montgomery, Alabama, we’re fighting to end policing practices that fuel a modern-day debtor’s prison. Montgomery police targeted low-income drivers — most of whom are black —with traffic tickets that bring in revenue for the city. And in New York, we challenged the MTA’s unlawful seizures of New Yorker’s state tax refunds to collect profits from outdated violation tickets – some of which were 20 years old.
We are fighting back against unlawful debt collection practices. Here’s what you need to know about the issue:
Low-income Black and Brown communities struggle with high debt loads. These often come from medical bills and court fines.
Debt collectors and state agencies can empty people’s bank accounts and take away driver’s licenses. This deprives low-income families of money and transportation they need to support themselves.
Governments use excessive fines and fees to generate millions of dollars in revenue, and often target Black and Brown communities, low-income people, and immigrants.
Through our legal advocacy, we’re working to ensure that these vicious cycles of debt, unemployment, and poverty are stopped.
The National Center for Law and Economic Justice advances racial and economic justice through ground-breaking impact litigation, policy advocacy, and support for grassroots organizing. We have provided legal representation and support since 1965.
