Obama administration capitulates in immigration record dispute

The Obama administration is no longer fighting a battle to avoid disclosing legal memos over plans to force local law enforcement to participate in Secure Communities, an immigration enforcement program. The administration also admitted that it gave a federal  judge false information last year in one of the hearings on the case. -db From a [...]

A&A: Making an FOIA request regarding border security

Q: I’m an investigative reporter trying to obtain information from the Department of Homeland Security and Customs and Border Protection (about 32 miles of the northern border are considered secure) and about the number of drugs, guns and weapons crossing over the border. I also need information on staffing levels compared to the southern border [...]

Federal judge orders release of searchable immigration database

A federal judge supported the efforts of two groups seeking information about a Immigration and Customs Enforcement that creates fingerprint databases used for deportation. The groups are contending that the program is error-prone. The agency sent the plaintiffs five unsearchable PDF files stripped of identifying data. In response, the judge ordered documents be sent by [...]

Congressman wants tracking of requests of Freedom of Information Act

The New York Times January 28, 2011 By Eric Lipton Republican Congressman Darrell Issa of California wants to promote transparency by collecting the names of citizens requesting copies of federal government documents, but while ordinarily embracing transparency and Issa’s goal of making agencies respond fairly and expediently, civil libertarians are worried that the information could [...]

EFF lists projects underway to protect internet speech

Electronic Freedom Foundation’s Technology Director Chris Palmer says that a number of projects are underway to reduce centralization on the Internet and improve security and accessibility for the public. -db Electronic Freedom Foundation Commentary December 14, 2010 By Chris Palmer The past few weeks have highlighted the vulnerability of centralized information systems to censorship: online [...]

Feds use social networking site to investigate citizenship petitions

The Electronic Frontier Foundation has obtained information that the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is using sites such as Facebook to investigate citizenship petitions. -db The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press October 13, 2010 By Stephen Miller The Electronic Frontier Foundation, a digital civil liberties group based in San Francisco, has received information [...]

ACLU challenges searches of laptops at borders

Civil rights lawyers sued the government yesterday to stop authorities from snooping in the laptops, cell phones and cameras of international travelers without probable cause. September 8, 2010 By The Associated Press NEW YORK — The lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court in Brooklyn against the Department of Homeland Security as well as U.S. [...]

Immigration judge blasts leak in Obama’s aunt’s asylum case

A judge who granted asylum to President Barack Obama’s African aunt ruled she deserved to stay in the United States because a federal government official leaked her status to a news organization, making her a potential target for persecution in her native Kenya. August 18, 2010 By The Associated Press BOSTON — U.S. Immigration Judge [...]

Freedom of Information Act request garners oversight report of alleged illegal intelligence activities

In response to its FOIA lawsuit in July, the Electronic Frontier Foundation saw the government release an intelligence oversight report that reveals intelligence activities some believe are illegal. -DB Electronic Frontier Foundation December 16, 2009 By Nate Cardozo Today the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of State, the Office of the Director of National [...]

Secret Service denies access to 2009 White House visitor records

After the Obama administration agreed to start releasing visitor logs starting December 31,  the watchdog group Judicial Watch was denied access to White House visitor logs from January 20 through September 15 of this year and does not understand why only these records merit protection. The Secret Service just says the records do not come [...]

Montana senator asks for accounting on lavish border post construction

Montana Senator Jon Tester asked Homeland Secrity Secretary Janet Napolitano for details of how money will be spent on remote border stations amid criticism that that millions will be wasted overbuilding facilities. -DB The Missoulian September 20, 2009 By Michael Jamison KALISPELL, Montana – Amid controversy over the high cost of building northern border ports, Sen. [...]

Homeland Security retains practice of searching travelers’ laptops without warrantHomeland Security retains practice of searching travelers’ laptops without warrant

The Customs and Border Protection officers will continue to search laptops and other electronic devices without reasonable suspicion, Janet Napolitano, head of the Department of Homeland Security said last week. -DB NextGov August 28, 2009 By Gautham Nagesh The Homeland Security Department announced on Thursday that it will continue to allow Customs and Border Protection officials [...]

Government owns up to 11 more deaths in immigration detention

The Department of Homeland Security admitted they undercounted by 11 the deaths of immigrants in detention. The total now stands at 104 deaths since 2003. -DB The Washington Independent August 17, 2009 By Daphne Eviatar Responding to a lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union, the Department of Homeland Security today acknowledged 11 deaths [...]