Home : Safe and Free : General

ACLU Urges Senate Judiciary Committee to Probe Department of Homeland Security
WASHINGTON, DC -- Today, as Department of Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff goes before the Senate Judiciary Committee for an annual oversight hearing, the American Civil Liberties Union calls on the committee to demand he answer tough questions about DHS’s most troubling initiatives. The ACLU submitted a statement for the record detailing concerns the organization has with some of the department’s activities, namely recent policies regarding immigration raids, deaths in immigration detention facilities, Real ID, Total Information Awareness and fusion centers.

ACLU Tells House to Remain Steadfast on FISA
Washington, DC – The American Civil Liberties Union today commented on reports that President Bush said he is willing to negotiate on the domestic surveillance program.

Passport Security Breaches Show Privacy Vulnerabilities

Terror Watch Lists are Unworkable
WASHINGTON – The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) comments on a report on Terror Watch lists released today from the Office of the Inspector of the Department of Justice. The following can be attributed to Timothy Sparapani, Senior Legislative Counsel of the American Civil Liberties Union.

The House Stands Up to Scare Tactics, House Votes to Let Consumers Have Their Day in Court
Washington, DC – The bruising battle over domestic surveillance that has been red hot since August took a dramatic turn today as the U.S. House of Representatives refused to bow to the president’s scare tactics. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) commends the Members of the House for standing up to the president and for allowing Americans to have their day in court against telecommunications companies that released private information to the government without a warrant.

ACLU Lauds Introduction of House State Secrets Bill
Washington, DC – Legislation introduced today may give a much-needed reprieve to those who have sued the government and encountered the state secrets privilege. The legislation, introduced by Congressman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), would establish appropriate limits on the use of the state secrets privilege. The Bush administration has misused 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. Similar legislation has been introduced in the Senate by Senator Edward Kennedy (D-MA).

FBI Audit Exposes Widespread Abuse Of Patriot Act Powers
WASHINGTON – A report released today by the Department of Justice’s Office of the Inspector General (OIG) on the FBI’s use of National Security Letters (NSLs) reveals a systemic, widespread abuse of power. The FBI’s authority to issue NSLs was widely expanded by the USA Patriot Act and it has been increasingly used to collect private information on American citizens without court approval. Today’s audit follows a report released last year that found serious breaches of department regulations and multiple potential violations of the law.

Don’t Follow Bush/Cheney Playbook on Domestic Spying, ACLU Statement on House FISA Vote
Washington, DC – A vote on the Democratic House leadership’s proposal to amend the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act is scheduled for this afternoon. Below is a statement that can be attributed to Caroline Fredrickson, Director of the Washington Legislative Office of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) on that vote:

Stunning New Report on Domestic NSA Dragnet Spying Confirms ACLU Surveillance Warnings
WASHINGTON – The American Civil Liberties Union responded today to a stunning new report that the NSA has effectively revived the Orwellian "Total Information Awareness" domestic-spying program that was banned by Congress in 2003. In response, the ACLU said that it was filing a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request for more information about the spying. And, the group announced that it was moving its "Surveillance Clock" one minute closer to midnight.

New FISA Compromise Is an Improvement, Still Raises Concerns
Washington, DC -- Statement from Caroline Fredrickson, Director of the ACLU’s Washington Legislative Office on the proposed House FISA compromise legislation:

ACLU Slams FBI Privacy Violations
Washington, DC – In testimony today before the Senate Judiciary Committee, FBI Director Robert Mueller confirmed the misuse of National Security Letters (NSLs) – which allow for the collection of personal information without court approval – to secure Americans’ personal information during FBI investigations. A report from the Office of the Inspector General on the FBI’s use of NSLs is expected soon, though it was due in December of last year.

ACLU Urges Senate: Ask FBI the Tough Questions
Washington, DC – As the Senate Judiciary Committee was set to question FBI Director Robert Mueller III today, the American Civil Liberties Union urged the committee to ask Director Mueller the tough questions about the bureau’s civil liberties record.

ACLU Urges Congress not to Rubberstamp FISA Plan
Washington, DC – With a House vote on domestic spy legislation rumored to occur within days, there are reports of a plan to split the two titles of the terrible bill passed by the Senate that gutted the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). The Senate bill contains almost no Fourth Amendment protections in its Title I, and its Title II contains immunity for telecommunications companies that illegally aided the president’s warrantlesss wiretapping program. The American Civil Liberties Union urges Congress to not rubberstamp the president’s plan to circumvent the Constitution.

FISA Fact Check: Setting the Record Straight on the White House
As the House of Representatives takes the time it needs to negotiate a bill to amend the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), the White House has launched a public assault on the legislative body. The administration claims that the House has endangered the country by letting the Protect America Act (PAA) expire and should pass the bill already approved by the Senate. The Senate bill, however, is unconstitutional and contains immunity for the telecommunications companies that aided the president’s warrantless wiretapping program. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is urging the House to continue to stand strong for the Constitution.

ACLU Refutes President’s Claims on FISA, Telecom Immunity
Washington, DC – President Bush spoke once again today on the House’s refusal to pass a Senate-approved bill updating the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). He also, once again, pleaded for retroactive and prospective immunity for the telecommunications companies who aided in his warrantless wiretapping program, claiming that the suits brought against them were a “financial gravy train” for attorneys.

U.S. Terror List Now Exceeds 900,000 Names
WASHINGTON – With the size of U.S. terrorist watch lists growing to absurd proportions – now in excess of 900,000 names – the American Civil Liberties Union today unveiled a new “ACLU Watch List Counter” intended to make vivid just how bloated and dysfunctional those lists have become.

The Fear Factor
WASHINGTON - Statement of Caroline Fredrickson, director of the ACLU Washington Legislative Office:

ACLU, Common Cause Thank House of Representatives for Standing Up to the President
WASHINGTON – Today the American Civil Liberties Union and Common Cause thanked the House of Representatives for standing up to President Bush and refusing to be railroaded into considering the Senate’s controversial FISA bill. The president had demanded the House rush through a just-passed Senate bill, which would allow the government to spy on the overseas phone calls and emails of innocent Americans without a warrant – in violation of the Fourth Amendment. The bill would also give retroactive immunity to telecommunications companies that gave the government private information about American citizens.

Office of Legal Counsel to Defend Torture Memos and Warrantless Wiretapping of Americans
Washington, DC – Today’s oversight hearing of the Justice Department Office of Legal Counsel (OLC) by the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties is expected to examine the issues of torture and waterboarding, as well as the warrantless wiretapping being conducted by the U.S. government. The acting head of the OLC, Steven Bradbury, will testify before the subcommittee. Mr. Bradbury is thought to be the author of controversial legal opinions from the OLC that have approved the use of harsh interrogation methods and spying on Americans through warrantless wiretaps.

State Secrets Privilege Dangerously Overbroad
Washington, DC – Today the Senate Judiciary Committee convened to hear testimony on an evidentiary rule known as the state secret privilege. Committee member Senator Edward Kennedy (D-MA) introduced legislation last month to narrow the scope of the privilege. During the Bush administration, the state secrets privilege has been increasingly and improperly used as a shield to prevent investigation into executive branch misconduct. The most notable invocation of the privilege was to stall the case of an innocent German citizen, Khaled El-Masri, who was kidnapped, detained and tortured in a secret overseas prison. His suit against the government was stalled after the administration invoked the privilege.