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Sweeping Homeland Security Investigation Of Muslims Was Unconstitutional And Discriminatory, Says ACLU (10/31/2008)
WASHINGTON – A report in today’s New York Times revealed details of a 2004 Department of Homeland Security (DHS) anti-terrorism program that, despite government claims to the contrary, used racial profiling. More than 2,000 Muslim immigrants were investigated in the lead up to the 2004 elections, and many were interrogated right before the November election. Despite the investment of considerable resources, “Operation Front Line” produced minimal results. Most of those investigated were found to have done nothing wrong.

ACLU Releases Presidential Transition Plan To Restore Civil Liberties (10/27/2008)
WASHINGTON – In anticipation of the presidential election, the American Civil Liberties Union today released a set of detailed recommendations on steps that the new president should take to “clean house,” renew freedom, and restore the nation’s reputation.

ACLU Hails DHS-Funded Report Condemning Data Mining (10/08/2008)

ACLU Condemns New FBI Guidelines (10/03/2008)
Washington, DC – New FBI guidelines governing investigations were released today after being signed by Attorney General Michael Mukasey. The American Civil Liberties Union quickly blasted the Department of Justice and FBI for ignoring calls for more stringent protections of Americans’ rights. The guidelines replace existing bureau guidelines for five types of investigations: general criminal, national security, foreign intelligence, civil disorders and demonstrations. The ACLU has been vocal in its disapproval of the overly broad guidelines, citing both the FBI’s and DOJ’s documented records of internal abuse.

ACLU Asks Inspector General to Investigate Abuses of FBI Guidelines (09/23/2008)
Washington, DC – The Senate Select Committee on Intelligence will hear testimony today on proposed changes to the attorney general guidelines. The guidelines govern FBI investigations and were adopted in the mid-1970’s after it was discovered that the agency was engaged in widespread abuses and violations of constitutional rights – including politically-motivated spying on figures like Martin Luther King, Jr. FBI Director Robert Mueller also answered questions about the guidelines last week during hearings before both the House and Senate Judiciary Committees. The American Civil Liberties Union is asking the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General (OIG) to investigate whether the FBI violated previous guidelines before the new guidelines are put into place.

National Security Research Group (02/19/2007)
The Harvard Law School National Security Research Group (NSRG) is a student-led initiative that will work in collaboration with the Harvard National Security and the Law Society to produce high-quality reports on pressing national security matters. NSRG is non-partisan and unaffiliated with any particular national security agenda or approach, and it will remain open to people of all backgrounds and viewpoints.

Highlights of the ACLU's Voter Poll (10/10/2006)
This survey of residents in Connecticut, New Mexico, Ohio and Pennsylvania showed that Americans want protection from terrorism, but not at the expense of civil liberties.

Doe v. Gonzales Letter Brief (04/12/2006)
Doe v. Gonzales Letter Brief

Sibel Edmonds, Plaintiff-Appellant, v. United States Department of Justice, et al., (01/12/2005)

ACLU Letter to the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General Urging An Investigation Into The FBI's Use Of The Attorney General Guidelines (09/22/2008)

ACLU Coalition Letter to Senate and House Judiciary Committee Leadership (09/16/2008)
We, the undersigned organizations who care deeply about both individual rights and effective intelligence-gathering, are gravely concerned about reported changes to federal guidelines that would lower the bar for the FBI’s law enforcement and intelligence investigations. We ask that you thoroughly question FBI Director Mueller this week about the extent of these changes and convene a hearing of civil liberties experts to discuss the implications of the guidelines once they become public and before they go into effect. It appears that fundamental changes will be made in the FBI and Department of Justice rules that govern criminal investigations and domestic intelligence gathering, and the implications of those changes require your dedicated oversight. We also ask that you prevent any funding from being used to implement these changes until the next Attorney General has a chance to review them.

Coalition Letter to Attorney General Michael Mukasey Regarding New FBI Guidelines Governing Investigations (09/11/2008)

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)

Coalition Letter to the Senate Strongly Urging a "No" Vote on the FISA Amendments Act, H.R. 6304 (07/07/2008)

9/11 Commission (12/06/2004)

Freedom of Expression (03/01/2002)
Freedom of speech, of the press, of association, of assembly and petition -- this set of guarantees, protected by the First Amendment, comprises what we refer to as freedom of expression. The Supreme Court has written that this freedom is "the matrix, the indispensable condition of nearly every other form of freedom." Without it, other fundamental rights, like the right to vote, would wither and die.

Links to other National Security-related Sites (02/20/2002)
The following sites provide comprehensive or unique resources relating to the work of the ACLU in this issue area. While some of these sites are operated by organizations that work frequently in coalition with the ACLU, the sites may also include materials on positions we do not share. To report a broken or relocated link, or to suggest a site for inclusion on this page, use the feedback button at the bottom of this page.

ACLU Fact Sheet on New Attorney General Guidelines (10/08/2008)

Garcetti v. Ceballos (09/22/2005)
Reviewing whether a government whistleblower forfeits all First Amendment protection by speaking out in the course of his or her job. DECIDED