Thread: ACLU calls for probe of Chertoff over 'terrorist' watch list

ACLU calls for probe of Chertoff over 'terrorist' watch list
07/17/2008 @ 11:14 am
Filed by Nick Juliano


The American Civil Liberties Union wants Congress to investigate the Department of Homeland Security's creation of "militarized zones" within the US in its overuse of a terrorist watch list and other programs that endanger privacy and civil liberties.

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“The Department of Homeland Security has far too many ill-conceived programs that fail to account for privacy, due process and other principles that assure fairness to the innocent,â€

[quote]"The presence of DHS and National Guard agents in the Rio Grande Valley as far as 150 miles into the U.S. has transformed many towns into militarized zones. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) have immigration checkpoints in the Texas towns of Sarita, Falfurrias and Laredo," Fredrickson said. "This past May CBP made announcements in the media that it intended to continue screening for immigration status at these checkpoints during natural catastrophes and emergency situations. Fortunately, when Texas Governor Rick Perry pointed out that the checkpoint delays could cost lives, CBP retracted its statement but has yet to fully communicate this to the residents of the Rio Grande Valley.â€