American Civil Liberties Union

National Security:
Throughout U.S. history "national security" has often been used as a pretext for massive violations of individual rights. The terrorist attacks on Sept. 11 mobilized our country in the fight against terrorism. However, this also launched a serious civil liberties crises. The ACLU continues to challenge policies like the USA Patriot Act, and creates campaigns like Safe and Free.


ACLU Blog of Rights

Freedom Files - Season 2
Ideological Exclusion

ACLU NewsfeedsACLU News Feed
ACLU Blog
ACLU Podcasts

National Security : General : Legislative Documents

ACLU Roadmap of Justice Department Inspector General’s Review of the FBI’s Use of National Security Letters (03/19/2007)

12 Questions Congress Needs to Ask the Administration About the FBI's Abuse of National Security Letters (03/19/2007)

ACLU Letter to the Senate Urging Senators to Vote No on Cloture on S. Amdt. 312 to S. 4 (03/09/2007)
On behalf of the American Civil Liberties Union, a non-partisan organization with hundreds of thousands of activists and members and 53 affiliates nationwide, we write to express our opposition to Senate Amendment 312 (“S. Amdt. 312) filed by Senator Cornyn to S. 4, the Improving America's Security by Implementing Unfinished Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007. S. Amdt. 312 bundles four injudicious proposals that the 9/11 Commission never recommended and, therefore, these amendments should not be added to this bill.

Letter from Attorney General Gonzales to the Senate Judiciary Committee Regarding the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court's Authorization of the President's Wiretapping Program (01/17/2007)

Testimony of ACLU Washington Legislative Office Director, Caroline Fredrickson, Before the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board (12/05/2006)

ACLU Letter to the Senate Strongly Urging Senators to Block the Construction of a Courthouse on Guantanamo Bay (12/05/2006)

Comments of the American Civil Liberties Union to the Department of Homeland Security Regarding the Proposed Automated Targeting System (12/01/2006)

ACLU Letter to Senator Joseph Lieberman Regarding the Detention of Muslim Religious Leaders on November 20, 2006 At the Minneapolis Airport (11/28/2006)

ACLU Letter to Representative Bennie Thompson Regarding the Detention of Muslim Religious Leaders on November 20, 2006 At the Minneapolis Airport (11/28/2006)

Coalition Letter to the House or Representatives Strongly Urging Rejection of the Military Commissions Act of 2006 Compromise (09/27/2006)

Coalition Letter to the House or Representatives Strongly Urging Rejection of the Military Commissions Act of 2006 Compromise (09/27/2006)

ACLU Letter to the Senate Strongly Urging Opposition to S. 3930, the Military Commissions Act of 2006 (09/25/2006)

ACLU Letter to the Senate Subcommittee Opposing U.K. Style Detention Without Charge (09/13/2006)

Coalition Letter to the Senate Opposing Bush Military Commissions Bill (09/11/2006)

Coalition Letter to the House of Representatives Opposing Bush Military Commissions Bill (09/11/2006)

ACLU Testimony Before the Subcommittee on National Security, Emerging Threats, and International Relations Regarding Censorship At the Borders (03/28/2006)
Statement of Caroline Fredrickson Director, Washington Legislative Office American Civil Liberties Union Before the Subcommittee on National Security, Emerging Threats, and International Relations Committee on Government Reform, United States House of Representatives Concerning Setting Post-9/11 Investigative Priorities at the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, March 28, 2006

ACLU Letter to the Senate Expressing Strong Opposition to the “Terrorist Surveillance Act of 2006,” Authorizing Warrantless Surveillance By the National Security Agency (03/16/2006)

ACLU Interested Persons Memo on the Conference Report Agreement on H.R. 3199, the USA PATRIOT Improvement and Reauthorization Act of 2005 (03/01/2006)

Coalition Letter to Senate Judiciary Committee Strongly Urging An Investigation Into the NSA's Domestic Sureveillance (01/30/2006)

Coalition Letter to House Judiciary Committee Strongly Urging A Thorough Investigation of the NSA's Domestic Surveillance (01/30/2006)

Click to show/hide issues list
Your Local ACLUcongressional scorecardmultimediaforumspublicationssupport usstorecontact