Home : National Security : Classified Information

ACLU calls on the Inspectors General of the Intelligence Agencies to Follow the Law and Provide a Public Report on U.S. Wiretapping (10/24/2008)
WASHINGTON – The American Civil Liberties Union calls on the Inspectors General of the Intelligence Agencies to respect the rule of law and make legally required domestic surveillance reports to Congress completely and publically available.

ACLU Urges House to Raise Curtain of Government Secrecy (09/09/2008)
Washington, DC – As the House moves towards a vote on legislation that would shine a light on government secrecy, the American Civil Liberties Union praised members pivotal in bringing the bill forward. The bill, H.R. 6575, the Over-Classification Reduction Act, was introduced by House Government Oversight Committee Chairman Henry Waxman (D-CA). Similar legislation that would apply specifically to the Department of Homeland Security was also introduced this year by Congresswoman Jane Harman (D-CA).

ACLU Testifies Today Asking Congress To Narrow Scope Of State Secrets Privilege (07/31/2008)
WASHINGTON – The American Civil Liberties Union testified today about the improper use of the state secrets privilege at a hearing before the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties. The hearing was held to discuss legislation introduced by the subcommittee’s chairman, Representative Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), entitled the “State Secrets Protection Act of 2008” (H.R.5607). The bill would narrow the scope of the privilege by setting appropriate limits on its use.

Fusion Centers Part of Incipient Domestic Intelligence System, ACLU Warns (07/29/2008)
WASHINGTON – The nation’s growing network of “fusion centers” is part of an incipient de facto domestic intelligence system, according to the American Civil Liberties Union. Today the ACLU released a report detailing spying on Maryland peace demonstrators, a mysterious domestic-spying scandal at a California military base and other recent incidents, confirming that its warnings about fusion centers were coming true.

ACLU Urges Senate Committee to Pass Strong State Secrets Bill (04/24/2008)
Washington, DC – As the Senate Judiciary Committee meets today to mark up key legislation, the American Civil Liberties Union urged the body to pass a bill that would allow Americans to hold their government accountable. The bill, introduced by Senator Edward Kennedy (D-MA), would limit the scope of the state secrets privilege. The Bush administration, which has threatened to veto Senator Kennedy’s bill, has used the privilege to halt several important lawsuits against the government, including an ACLU case involving the extraordinary rendition of an innocent German citizen, Khaled El-Masri.

Government's Response to ACLU's FOIA Request (12MB) (01/17/2003)

ACLU amicus brief in Hamdi v. Rumsfeld (10/25/2002)

Testimony of ACLU Legal Director, Steven R. Shapiro, Before the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Regarding The State Secrets Protection Act of 2008 (07/31/2008)

Testimony of Caroline Fredrickson on Overclassification Before the House Subcommittee on Intelligence, Information Sharing and Terrorism Risk Assessment (06/11/2008)

ACLU Statement to the Senate Judiciary Committee on the State Secrets Privilege (02/13/2008)

Statement of Anthony D. Romero, Executive Director, American Civil Liberties Union, on the Freedom of Information Act Before the House Government Reform and Oversight Subcommittee on Information Policy, Census, and National Archives (02/14/2007)

Statement Submitted by ACLU Legislative Counsel Timothy H. Edgar at a Hearing before House Government Reform Subcommittee on National Security, Emerging Threats and International Relations on Overclassification (08/24/2004)