Home : Safe and Free : General

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

New Poll: Majority of American Voters Want Next President to Restore and Protect Civil Liberties; Seek a More Assertive Congress
The majority of U.S. voters want the next president to protect civil liberties and the Constitution, according to a recent survey of 738 registered voters conducted for the ACLU.

Habeas Corpus FAQs

Habeas Corpus Talking Points

Background on Habeas Corpus
In the final hours before adjourning in 2006, Congress passed and the president signed the Military Commissions Act (MCA). In doing so they cast aside the Constitution and the principle of habeas corpus, which protects against unlawful and indefinite imprisonment.

Five Things You Can Do

Conservative Voices Regarding Habeas Corpus

Proposed Legislation Regarding MCA Chart

Real ID Sucker Money Calculator

ACLU Ad: Day of Action: It's Your Country.
On June 26, 2007, thousands of people came from all over the United States to join us in Washington, D.C. We called on Congress to restore habeas corpus, fix the Military Commissions Act, and restore our constitutional rights. We rallied outside the Capitol and delivered our urgent message in person to Members of Congress.

Attorney General Alberto Gonzales vs. Civil Liberties
With Attorney General Alberto Gonzales at the helm, the United States Justice Department has become a contradiction in terms. Under his leadership the Constitution and the rights of Americans have been consistently undermined. Gonzales has played a chief role in both crafting and sanctioning this administration's unconstitutional conduct.

National Security Whistleblowers

Day of Action to Restore Law and Justice - June 26, 2007
The ACLU is urging thousands of activists from all over the United States to descend upon Washington, D.C. for a Day of Action to Restore Law and Justice. Joined by Amnesty International, the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights and the National Religious Campaign Against Torture, they will deliver a message directly to Congress to demand that they restore habeas corpus, end torture and ensure fundamental liberties.

ACLU and PEN American Center: "Dirty Wars" Readings

Background on the State Secrets Privilege

ACLU Backgrounder on Aviation Watch Lists
An ACLU Backgrounder on watch lists confirming the warnings that the ACLU has been making for several years: the current administration is pinning Americans' security on a system of watch lists that is bloated, inefficient, ineffective, and unfair.

ACLU and NYCLU Host "The U.S. vs. John Lennon" Screening

Bush's Spin on the War on Terror
President Bush's September 6 speech was less than candid and forthright and was filled with half-truths and misrepresentations. So we've prepared this handy document to help you decipher some of his cleverly worded spin.

Audio: ACLU Staff Remembers
The ACLU works to ensure that civil liberties are respected, even in times of national emergency. The following audio recordings are from ACLU staff and leaders talking about where they were on September 11, 2001, and also include commentaries about the state of civil liberties directly after the terrorist attacks and where, five years later, we are as a nation.