Home : Safe and Free : General

ACLU Sues DHS Over Unlawful TSA Searches And Detention
NEW YORK – The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is subjecting innocent Americans to unreasonable searches and detentions that violate the Constitution, according to a lawsuit filed today by the American Civil Liberties Union. The ACLU filed the complaint on behalf of a traveler who was illegally detained and harassed by TSA agents at the airport for carrying approximately $4,700 in cash.

Report Confirms Continued Dragnet Collection Of Americans’ Communications
WASHINGTON – The scope of National Security Agency (NSA) domestic surveillance activities is far wider than previously acknowledged, according to a report in today’s New York Times, prompting renewed scrutiny by congressional investigators. It was first disclosed in April that the NSA was exceeding the already overbroad limits granted to it under the FISA Amendments Act (FAA) of 2008. Today’s report suggests that the NSA’s warrantless surveillance of Americans’ phone calls and emails was even more pervasive.

Attorney General To Testify Before Senate Committee Today On Torture, Surveillance And Civil Rights
WASHINGTON – Attorney General Eric Holder will testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee today as it holds its first oversight hearing over the Department of Justice (DOJ) during the Obama administration. The American Civil Liberties Union has urged committee members to ask Holder tough questions on issues including overzealous surveillance, the restoration of the DOJ Civil Rights Division and torture.

ACLU Challenges Defense Department Personnel Policy To Regard Lawful Protests As “Low-Level Terrorism”
Anti-terrorism training materials currently being used by the Department of Defense (DoD) teach its personnel that free expression in the form of public protests should be regarded as “low level terrorism.” ACLU attorneys are calling the approach “an egregious insult to constitutional values” and have sent a letter to the Department of Defense demanding that the offending materials be changed and that the DoD send corrective information to all DoD employees who received the erroneous training.

Rep. Harman Introduces Bill To Restrain Domestic Deployment Of Spy Satellites
WASHINGTON – Representative Jane Harman (D-CA) introduced two bills last night to stop the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) use of satellite imagery from intelligence agencies for homeland security and law enforcement purposes. The legislation, H.R. 2703 and 2704, will prohibit funding for and close the DHS’ National Application Office (NAO). This troubled office is responsible for a domestic surveillance program that the American Civil Liberties Union had long opposed in testimony and letters to Congress over the past two years.

Human Rights Abuses Under the Material Witness Law Since Sept. 11, 2001

Racial Profiling Since 9/11 report
Sanctioned Bias: Racial Profiling Since 9/11

Bierfeldt v. Napolitano - Complaint

United States v. al-Nashiri - Request to Withdraw Charges

Posse Comitatus Act - FOIA Request
The American Civil Liberties Union demanded information from the government about reports that an active military unit has been deployed inside the U.S. to help with "civil unrest" and "crowd control" – matters traditionally handled by civilian authorities. This deployment jeopardizes the longstanding separation between civilian and military government, and the public has a right to know where and why the unit has been deployed.

AAR v. Chertoff - ACLU's Reply Brief

United States v. Taleb-Jedi - Memorandum Decision and Order

ACLU Letter to the House Urging Support of the Holt Amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (H.R. 2647)

Coalition Sign-On Letter to the Senate Judiciary and Armed Services Committees Urging Public Hearings Before Votes on Potential Revisions to the Military Commissions Act or Detention Policies

ACLU Letter to the Department of Defense Regarding Its Level 1 Anti-terrorism Training Materials

Testimony of ACLU National Security Project Attorney Ben Wizner On the State Secrets Protetion Act of 2009 Before A Subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee

Coalition Letter to Congress Urging Review Of Surveillance Laws

Letter from ACLU to Justice Department's Office of Legal Counsel Requesting the Release of Secret Memos

ACLU Statement to the House Judiciary Committee on the Use of the State Secrets Privilege

Polling From the Mellman Group: Voters Vigorously Oppose Warrantless Wiretaps and Immunity for Telecom Companies

Five Things You Can Do

Conservative Voices Regarding Habeas Corpus

Fact Sheet - New Attorney General Guidelines

Quotes From Political Leaders on the Battle Over Domestic Surveillance and Immunity for Telecommunications Companies

ACLU Real ID Scorecard
Real ID regulations earn a failing grade. Find out why.

Fuzzy Math and the Real Cost of Real ID
A persistent criticism of the Real ID Act since its enactment in 2005 has been the charge that the law is a massive unfunded mandate. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) initially estimated that nationwide implementation would cost over $23 billion, roughly in line with estimates from independent groups like the National Governors Association and National Conference of State Legislators.

Fact Sheet: Final Real ID Regulations
Compliance Deadlines. States need to do almost nothing to comply with Real ID before 2014 (or 2017 for those over the age of 50)DHS will grant an extension until Dec 31, 2009 to any state which requests one.Citizens of states who become “materially compliant” will be able to use their license for all federal purposes until 2014 (or 2017 for those over the age of 50). Material compliance under the regulations is essentially what states are already doing in the issuance of licenses (and only a fraction of what the Real ID statute requires).

Bierfeldt v. Napolitano
On March 29, 2009, Steven Bierfeldt was detained in a small room at Lambert-St. Louis International Airport and interrogated by Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officials for nearly half an hour after he passed a metal box containing cash through a security checkpoint X-ray machine. Bierfeldt was carrying the cash in connection with his duties as the Director of Development for the Campaign for Liberty, a political organization that grew out of Congressman Ron Paul’s presidential campaign.