Privacy and Civil Liberties Organizations

Privacy and Civil Liberties Organizations

Building a P/CRCL Network

American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) — The ACLU is a national non-profit, advocacy and membership organization with a mission to "preserve the protections and guarantees" of the U.S. Constitution’s Bill of Rights and "to extend rights to segments of our population that have traditionally been denied their rights." "The ACLU has an affiliate in every state and Puerto Rico" that "handle[s] requests for legal assistance, lobby the state legislature and host public forums."

Some fusion centers have involved ACLU state affiliates in the development or vetting of the fusion center’s privacy/civil liberties policy. The national ACLU monitors fusion center activities and has filed "friend of the court" briefs in cases involving fusion centers. The ACLU also has issued reports on fusion center activities:

• Questions to Ask About Fusions Centers (undated)
• What’s Wrong With Fusion Centers? (December 2007) and What’s Wrong With Fusion Centers – Executive Summary (December 2007)
• Fusion Center Update (July 2008) (27pp | 515kb | PDF) that offers the ACLU perspective on "press accounts" regarding alleged fusion center activities since the issuance of its November 2007 report on fusion centers.

Anti-Defamation League (ADL) - The Anti-Defamation League is a nonprofit civil rights and advocacy organization dedicated to “fight[ing] anti-Semitism and all forms of bigotry in the U.S. and abroad through information, education, legislation, and advocacy.”  The ADL has a variety of resources geared for a law enforcement audience.

Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) — The Electronic Frontier Foundation is a national non-profit and advocacy group whose mission is to "[champion] the public interest in every critical battle affecting digital rights." EFF works with "cutting-edge issues defending [electronic] free speech, privacy, innovation, and consumer rights today."

Electronic Privacy Information Center — EPIC is a public interest research center in Washington, D.C. It was established in 1994 to "focus public attention on emerging civil liberties issues and to protect privacy, the First Amendment, and constitutional values."

• Information Fusion Centers and Privacy — EPIC maintains a web page that addresses fusion center issues. The page includes background information, articles, online resources, and legislation regarding fusion centers and privacy.
• Privacy.org — This joint project of the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) and Privacy International provides synopses and links to news, articles, and other publications that address privacy issues, including fusion center issues.

Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC)  - The Southern Poverty Law Center is a nonprofit civil rights and advocacy organization dedicated to “fighting hate and bigotry, and to seeking justice for the most vulnerable members of society.” 

Source: Page created by the DHS/Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties and the DHS/Privacy Office in cooperation with the DOJ, Office of Justice Programs.