News & Commentary

This piece originally appeared on The Washington Post.  Attorney General Jeff Sessions is right to be concerned about recent increases in violent crime in some

This week, thanks to excellent reporting by The Associated Press, we learned of horrific conditions and brutal torture at 18 prisons around Yemen that are run by the United Arab Emirates, a U.S. ally, or by UAE-trained Yemeni officials. What’s more, the U.S. confirmed to the AP that U.S. personnel take part in interrogations in Yemen, submit questions to be asked, and receive videos and transcripts of interrogations. This has set off alarm bells about possible U.S. complicity in or benefit from

This week, thanks to excellent reporting by The Associated Press, we learned of horrific conditions and brutal torture at 18 prisons around Yemen that are run by the United Arab Emirates, a U.S. ally, or by UAE-trained Yemeni officials. What’s more, the U.S. confirmed to the AP that U.S. personnel take part in interrogations in Yemen, submit questions to be asked, and receive videos and transcripts of interrogations. This has set off alarm bells about possible U.S. complicity in or benefit from

In the mid-1990s, as average American households were increasingly getting online, a “Great Internet Sex Panic” threatened to severely restrict the most significant communications medium of our time. The Communications Decency Act was introduced in Congress in 1995 to address the

On May 30, Rep. Darrell Issa’s San Diego County constituents saw a different side of the nine-term member of Congress. Angry at peaceful protesters outside his district office building in Vista, California, the congressman

In a heartbeat, Anthony Promvongsa’s sunny summer day in Worthington, Minnesota, turned from ordinary to a nightmare.  Shortly after encountering an agitated motorist driving in front of him on July 28, 2016, Anthony found himself confronted by the police. Within seconds of exiting his vehicle after pulling Anthony over, Agent Joe Joswiak of the Buffalo Ridge Drug Task Force opened the door of Anthony’s car, screaming, “Get the fuck out of the car, motherfucker!” Without hesitation, Agent Joswiak pulled, punched, and elbowed Anthony several ti

How would you know if the federal government had been electronically spying on you? Short answer: You probably wouldn’t.Today, the ACLU sued the Justice Department to find out more about the circumstances under which the government thinks it can spy on Americans without telling them. This challenge seeks important information about a spying statute whose renewal is currently up for debate in Congress. The answer to the question above should be simple: When the government invades your p

A lawsuit against the two psychologists who devised a CIA torture program reached another new milestone last month, as three victims asked a U.S. court to rule in their favor and to find that the psychologists were liable for aiding and abetting the illegal program. The ACLU has filed a

You asked, we answered. Last week was the fifth anniversary of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program that provides work permits and a temporary reprieve from deportation for almost 800,000 young people who came to the United States as children, are undocumented, and meet certain stringent conditions. How can we protect DACA?