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ACLU Applauds Rumsfeld’s Resignation, Calls for Immediate Investigation Into Dereliction of Duty (11/08/2006)
NEW YORK -- The American Civil Liberties Union today applauded Donald Rumsfeld’s resignation from his post as Defense Secretary, and called on Congress to investigate the gross abuse of power committed under his watch.

Nationwide, Voters Stand Up for Civil Liberties and Freedom (11/08/2006)
WASHINGTON - Yesterday voters nationwide rejected candidates who failed to uphold civil liberties and rejected ballot initiatives that undermine fundamental freedoms of all Americans.

New Document Reveals Pentagon Surveillance of Rhode Island Peace Group (11/01/2006)
PROVIDENCE -- In response to a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit filed earlier this year, the American Civil Liberties Union of Rhode Island today announced it has received documentation confirming that federal officials entered information about a local peaceful protest into a terrorism database.

MCLU to Court: Keep Maine Lawsuit in Maine (10/27/2006)
PORTLAND, ME -- Today the Maine Civil Liberties Union formally opposed a court order to transfer a high profile Maine telecom case to California. The federal government has sued Maine Public Utilities Commissioners to prevent the PUC from investigating whether Verizon turned over Mainer’s phone records to the National Security Agency.

Citing Improvements to Law, ACLU Withdraws Section 215 Case But Vows to Fight Individual Orders (10/27/2006)
DETROIT -- Citing improvements to the law, the American Civil Liberties Union today withdrew a three-year-old lawsuit over Section 215 of the Patriot Act, but said it is prepared to defend individuals who receive demands for information under the provision.

Online Documentary Details History of Government Surveillance (10/26/2006)
SAN FRANCISCO -- From national civil rights activist Julian Bond to an ordinary Middle Eastern mother whose son and husband were imprisoned for a year with no charges brought against them, Tracked in America tells the compelling stories of 25 individuals who have been the targets of government surveillance. The online audio documentary -- launched today by a coalition of human rights, civil rights and educational organizations -- provides an in-depth look at U.S. government surveillance throughout history.

ACLU Uncovers FBI Surveillance of Maine Peace Activists (10/25/2006)
PORTLAND, ME -- The Maine Civil Liberties Union today released new documents revealing that the FBI has monitored the activities of peace activists, including Maine Veterans for Peace and Peace Action Maine.

President Bush Signs Un-American Military Commissions Act, ACLU Says New Law Undermines Due Process and the Rule of Law (10/17/2006)
WASHINGTON - As President Bush signed S. 3930, the Military Commissions Act of 2006 into law, the American Civil Liberties Union expressed outrage and called the new law one of the worst civil liberties measures ever enacted in American history.

Documents Shed New Light on Pentagon Surveillance of Peace Activists (10/12/2006)
NEW YORK -- Documents released today by the American Civil Liberties Union reveal new details of Pentagon surveillance of Americans opposed to the Iraq war, including Quakers and student groups. The documents show that the Pentagon was keeping tabs on non-violent protesters by collecting information and storing it in a military anti-terrorism database.

ACLU Challenges Indefinite Detention in Southern California Facilities (10/09/2006)
LOS ANGELES - Acting on behalf of four immigrant detainees who are being held indefinitely in Southern California, the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California, the ACLU Immigrants' Rights Project and the Stanford Law School Immigrants' Rights Clinic today said they have asked a federal judge to put an immediate end to the illegal detention.

ACLU Calls for Overhaul of Aviation Watch Lists in Wake of "60 Minutes" Report (10/06/2006)
NEW YORK -- The American Civil Liberties Union called today for the government to shut down its current, fatally flawed aviation watch lists and instead focus on known threats to aviation. The call came in response to a "60 Minutes" report on the matter scheduled to be aired on CBS this Sunday.

Detroit Judge Finds Patriot Act Provision Threatens Free Speech Rights (10/03/2006)
DETROIT - The American Civil Liberties Union today welcomed a federal court ruling that the Patriot Act threatens the free speech and religious freedom rights of groups who have reason to believe they are targeted by the law.

ACLU Urges House to Reject President’s Power Grab,Says Wilson NSA Bill Undermines Constitutional Rights of All Americans (09/28/2006)
WASHINGTON - As the House of Representative began debate on H.R. 5825, the "Electronic Surveillance Modernization Act," the American Civil Liberties Union called on lawmakers to adopt a bipartisan motion to refer the bill back to the committees, and failing that, to reject the misguided proposal. Authored by Representative Heather Wilson (R-NM), the bill would give the president extraordinary power and authorize the warrantless surveillance program conducted by the National Security Agency.

Belgians Confirm Illegality Of SWIFT Surveillance Program, Setting Up Showdown Over U.S. Privacy Laws (09/28/2006)
NEW YORK - Belgium’s announcement today that the U.S. government’s secret surveillance of international bank transfers violates their national privacy law sets up a showdown between American and European privacy laws and highlights the need for the United States to end its ill-considered spying program and bring its privacy laws up to international standards, the American Civil Liberties Union said today.

Idaho Judge Rules Government Cannot Use Material Witness Statute to Detain People As Suspects (09/28/2006)
NEW YORK -- The American Civil Liberties Union announced today that a U.S. District Court in Idaho has ruled that the federal material witness law cannot be used to preventively detain or investigate suspects. The court further ruled that former Attorney General John Ashcroft is not immune from personal responsibility for the wrongful detention of an innocent American.

Senate Passes Dangerous Bush Military Commissions Bill, ACLU Says Legislation Upends the Rule of Law (09/28/2006)
WASHINGTON - The American Civil Liberties Union expressed distress as the Senate adopted S.3930, the Military Commissions Act of 2006. That bill is identical to legislation adopted by the House yesterday, and removes important checks on the president by: failing to protect due process, eliminating habeas corpus for many detainees, undermining enforcement of the Geneva Conventions, and giving a "get out of jail free card" to senior officials who authorized or ordered illegal torture and abuse.

ACLU Urges Congress to Reject Bush Military Commissions Bill, "Compromise" Lacks Due Process, Undermines Torture and Abuse Safeguards (09/27/2006)
WASHINGTON - As both chambers of Congress prepare to vote on legislation establishing a system of military commissions, the American Civil Liberties Union urged lawmakers to reject the proposal, noting that the measure does not protect due process, guts the protections of habeas corpus, fails to meet international treaty obligations and would give the president authority to undermine safeguards against horrific abuse of detainees.

Booz Allen's Extensive Ties to Government Raise More Questions About SWIFT Surveillance Program (09/26/2006)
NEW YORK - The role of the consulting and engineering firm Booz Allen Hamilton, Inc. in providing oversight for the SWIFT surveillance program, much touted by the program's defenders, was called into significant question today by the American Civil Liberties Union and Privacy International, which released a memo that they prepared at the request of European regulators, documenting the consulting firm's close ties to the U.S. Government.

Groups Condemn State Department's Decision to Deny Visa to Oxford University Professor Who Criticized U.S. Policies (09/25/2006)
NEW YORK - The United States government has denied a visa to Oxford University Professor Tariq Ramadan despite dropping its previous allegation that he endorsed terrorism, the American Civil Liberties Union announced today.

ACLU Decries Senate Republicans’ Switch on NSA Spying Bill, Says Latest Legislation Still Fails to Protect Rule of Law (09/25/2006)
WASHINGTON - Following an announcement that Senators Larry Craig (R-ID), John Sununu (R-NH) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) have dropped their objections and now support the administration’s flawed NSA warrantless surveillance bill, the American Civil Liberties Union decried the move as a failure to protect the rule of law.