Coalition Letter Requesting Senate Hearings on Fusion Centers

In this letter to the Senate, the ACLU joined the Arab American Institute, Brennan Center for Justice, The Florence Immigrant & Refugee Rights Project and National Immigrant Justice Center in urging members of the Senate Judiciary and Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs committees to hold hearings on the rising dangers posed by fusion centers. Recently, in response to FOIA litigation, DHS disclosed documents revealing that it had provided information it received from a private firm regarding family separation demonstrations to law enforcement agencies participating in fusion centers across America. In the wake of these startling revelations, it is critical that Congress hold hearings on the use of fusion centers to share information regarding those engaged in First Amendment protected activities, as well as the standards used to determine what information is being shared and when.