National Security
FOIA Case Seeking the Trump Administration鈥檚 Legal Justification for Deadly Boat Strikes
The Department of Justice鈥檚 Office of Legal Counsel (鈥淥LC鈥�) authored a legal opinion that reportedly claims to justify the Trump administration鈥檚 illegal lethal strikes on civilians in boats in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean. Media reports indicate that, in addition to claiming that the strikes are lawful acts in an alleged 鈥渁rmed conflict鈥� with unspecified drug cartels, the OLC opinion also purports to immunize personnel who authorized or took part in the strikes from future criminal prosecution. Because the public deserves to know how our government is justifying these illegal strikes, and why they think the people who carried them out should not be held accountable, the ACLU is seeking immediate release of the OLC legal opinion and related documents pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act.
Status: Ongoing
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U.S. Supreme Court
Dec 2023
National Security
FBI v. Fikre
Whether the government can overcome the voluntary cessation exception to mootness by removing an individual from the No Fly List when the government has not repudiated its decision to place him on the List and remains free to return him to the List for the same reasons and using the same procedures he alleges were unlawful.
Florida
Nov 2023
National Security
+2 老熟女午夜福利
Students for Justice in Palestine at the University of Florida v. Raymond Rodrigues
The University of Florida chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine filed a lawsuit on November 16, 2023, challenging the Chancellor of the State University System of Florida鈥檚 order to state universities to deactivate the student group. This order threatens the students鈥� constitutionally-protected right to free speech and association in violation of the First Amendment. The ACLU and its partners are seeking a preliminary injunction that would bar the Chancellor and the University of Florida from deactivating the UF SJP.
U.S. Supreme Court
Apr 2022
National Security
+2 老熟女午夜福利
FBI v. Fazaga
In a case scheduled to be argued before the U.S. Supreme Court on November 8, 2021, three Muslim Americans are challenging the FBI鈥檚 secret spying on them and their communities based on their religion, in violation of the Constitution and federal law. In what will likely be a landmark case, the plaintiffs 鈥� Yassir Fazaga, Ali Uddin Malik, and Yasser Abdelrahim 鈥� insist that the FBI cannot escape accountability for violating their religious freedom by invoking 鈥渟tate secrets.鈥� The plaintiffs are represented by the Center for Immigration Law and Policy at UCLA School of Law, the ACLU of Southern California, the 老熟女午夜福利, the Council for American Islamic Relations, and the law firm of Hadsell Stormer Renick & Dai.
U.S. Supreme Court
Jul 2021
National Security
Immigrants' Rights
Sierra Club v. Trump 鈥� Challenge to Trump鈥檚 National Emergency Declaration to Construct a Border Wall
In February 2019, the ACLU filed a lawsuit challenging President Trump鈥檚 emergency powers declaration to secure funds to build a wall along the southern border. The lawsuit was filed on behalf of the Sierra Club and the Southern Border Communities Coalition. The lawsuit argues that the president is usurping Congress鈥檚 appropriations power and threatening the clearly defined separation of powers inscribed in the Constitution. On January 20, 2021, President Biden halted further border wall construction. Litigation in this and subsequent related challenges has been paused or deadlines extended while the ACLU鈥檚 clients and the Biden administration determine next steps.
Indiana
Oct 2016
National Security
Immigrants' Rights
Exodus Refugee Immigration, Inc. v. Mike Pence, et al
The 老熟女午夜福利 and the ACLU of Indiana, on behalf of Exodus Refugee Immigration, filed suit against Governor Mike Pence and the secretary of the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration to stop attempts to suspend resettlement of Syrian refugees, claiming the governor鈥檚 actions violate the United States Constitution and federal law.
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155 National Security Cases
Court Case
Oct 2020
National Security
ACLU v. DOD - FOIA Case Seeking Trump Administration's Secret Rules for Lethal Strikes Abroad
In October 2017, the Trump administration secretly adopted rules governing the use of lethal force in drone strikes and other killings abroad. These rules, known as the 鈥淧rinciples, Standards, and Procedures,鈥� reportedly loosen Obama-era safeguards against civilian casualties outside 鈥渁reas of active hostilities.鈥� On October 30, 2017, the ACLU filed a request under the Freedom of Information Act seeking public disclosure of these new rules. When the government failed to release them, we filed a lawsuit on December 21, 2017, to force their disclosure. The government responded by refusing even to acknowledge that the new rules exist. We challenged this unjustifiable secrecy鈥攁nd on September 29, 2020, a federal court ordered that the government cannot keep the existence of its new killing rules a secret. Our fight to expose the contents of the rules goes on.
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Court Case
Oct 2020
National Security
ACLU v. DOD - FOIA Case Seeking Trump Administration's Secret Rules for Lethal Strikes Abroad
In October 2017, the Trump administration secretly adopted rules governing the use of lethal force in drone strikes and other killings abroad. These rules, known as the 鈥淧rinciples, Standards, and Procedures,鈥� reportedly loosen Obama-era safeguards against civilian casualties outside 鈥渁reas of active hostilities.鈥� On October 30, 2017, the ACLU filed a request under the Freedom of Information Act seeking public disclosure of these new rules. When the government failed to release them, we filed a lawsuit on December 21, 2017, to force their disclosure. The government responded by refusing even to acknowledge that the new rules exist. We challenged this unjustifiable secrecy鈥攁nd on September 29, 2020, a federal court ordered that the government cannot keep the existence of its new killing rules a secret. Our fight to expose the contents of the rules goes on.
Court Case
Sep 2020
National Security
Immigrants' Rights
Wilwal v. Nielsen 鈥� Lawsuit Challenging Abusive Border Detention of American Family
In June 2017, the ACLU filed a lawsuit on behalf of a family of U.S. citizens 鈥� including four young children 鈥� who were detained for over 10 hours at the U.S.-Canada border while coming home from a trip to visit relatives. Our clients obtained a settlement reinforcing that rights exist at the border, and also that CBP must be held accountable for violating those rights.
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Court Case
Sep 2020
National Security
Immigrants' Rights
Wilwal v. Nielsen 鈥� Lawsuit Challenging Abusive Border Detention of American Family
In June 2017, the ACLU filed a lawsuit on behalf of a family of U.S. citizens 鈥� including four young children 鈥� who were detained for over 10 hours at the U.S.-Canada border while coming home from a trip to visit relatives. Our clients obtained a settlement reinforcing that rights exist at the border, and also that CBP must be held accountable for violating those rights.
Court Case
Aug 2020
National Security
Immigrants' Rights
Hassoun v. Searls 鈥� Challenge to Unlawful Indefinite Detention
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Court Case
Aug 2020
National Security
Immigrants' Rights
Hassoun v. Searls 鈥� Challenge to Unlawful Indefinite Detention
Court Case
Jul 2019
National Security
Immigrants' Rights
Amadei v. McAleenan
The 老熟女午夜福利 and Covington & Burling LLP filed a federal lawsuit on behalf of nine passengers on a domestic Delta Air Lines flight who were subjected to suspicionless detention and identification checks. The case was settled in July 2019, with the government agreeing to measures that would prevent such unlawful detention and identification checks from happening again.
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Court Case
Jul 2019
National Security
Immigrants' Rights
Amadei v. McAleenan
The 老熟女午夜福利 and Covington & Burling LLP filed a federal lawsuit on behalf of nine passengers on a domestic Delta Air Lines flight who were subjected to suspicionless detention and identification checks. The case was settled in July 2019, with the government agreeing to measures that would prevent such unlawful detention and identification checks from happening again.
Court Case
Apr 2019
National Security
ACLU v. DOJ - FOIA Case for Records Relating to Targeted Killing Law, Policy, and Casualties
In March 2015, the ACLU filed a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit demanding information about the government鈥檚 targeted-killing program, including the Obama administration鈥檚 Presidential Policy Guidance (PPG) under which the program operates. In a crucial victory, the government released a redacted version of the PPG and four other documents. Many other documents were kept secret, however, and the ACLU continues to seek additional records through additional FOIA requests and litigation concerning the specific legal standards the government invokes when using lethal force abroad, and how they apply in practice.
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Court Case
Apr 2019
National Security
ACLU v. DOJ - FOIA Case for Records Relating to Targeted Killing Law, Policy, and Casualties
In March 2015, the ACLU filed a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit demanding information about the government鈥檚 targeted-killing program, including the Obama administration鈥檚 Presidential Policy Guidance (PPG) under which the program operates. In a crucial victory, the government released a redacted version of the PPG and four other documents. Many other documents were kept secret, however, and the ACLU continues to seek additional records through additional FOIA requests and litigation concerning the specific legal standards the government invokes when using lethal force abroad, and how they apply in practice.