Yearly Archives: 2018

Gov’t rules Amish family must connect to public sewer, use electricity

"The Yoder family, like others of their sect, shun the use of electricity, especially when it is from the grid. For years, the Yoders have been fighting the sewer connection order because it requires them to install an electric grinder pump to shunt waste from their home into the Sugar Grove Area Sewer Authority's system in Warren County. Rejected was the family's argument that they should simply be allowed to keep using their outdoor privy, which lacks electricity and running water."

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Customs And Border Protection Clarifies: You Have No Rights While Traveling

"Their guidance claims the authority to search a traveler’s electronic devices 'with or without suspicion.' The guidance now claims passengers are 'obligated' to turn over their devices as well as passcodes for examination. If they fail to do so, agents can seize the device. That is all considered a 'basic search.' Agents must have suspicion in order to conduct an 'advanced search.' This includes copying information from devices, or analyzing them with other equipment. Finally, CBP agents can not 'intentionally' search information stored on the cloud, versus on the device’s hard drive."

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Feds planning massive Northern California immigration sweep

"Federal officers would look to arrest more than 1,500 undocumented people while sending a message that immigration policy will be enforced in the sanctuary state, according to a source familiar with the operation. Officials at Immigration and Customs Enforcement, known as ICE, declined to comment Tuesday on plans for the operation. The campaign, centered in the Bay Area, could happen within weeks, and is expected to become the biggest enforcement action of its kind under President Trump, said the source, who requested anonymity because the plans have not been made public."

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The “Dark Side”: Secret Evidence, Illegal Searches, and Dubious Traffic Stops

"The DEA’s Special Operations Division is one of several tools the government uses to hide the origins of criminal investigations nationwide, in potential violation of constitutional protections. In a report released today, 'Dark Side: Secret Origins of Evidence in U.S. Criminal Cases,' Human Rights Watch documents the use of parallel construction by federal and local police agencies, finding the practice is used in the United States 'frequently and possibly even daily.'"

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Kentucky House Passes Bill to Put Limits on Drones, Help Thwart Federal Surveillance Program

FRANKFORT, Ky. (Jan. 18, 2018) – Yesterday, the Kentucky House unanimously passed a bill that would require police to get a warrant before engaging in drone surveillance in most situations. Final passage of this legislation would not only establish important privacy protections at the state level, it would also help thwart the federal surveillance state.…

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Alabama Senate Passes Bill to Eliminate Marriage Licenses, Nullify Federal Control in Practice

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (Jan. 18, 2018) – On Tuesday, the Alabama Senate overwhelmingly passed a bill that would abolish marriage licenses in the state and effectively nullify in practice both sides of the contentious national debate over government-sanctioned marriage. Sen. Greg Albritton (R-Bay Minette) prefiled Senate Bill 13 (SB13) in September. The legislation would abolish all…

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The Vote is in: Relying on Congress to Stop Federal Surveillance is Dangerous

Can states legally – and successfully – shut off water to a federal agency, like we’ve been proposing to do with NSA spying? For years, lawyers at organizations like Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) and ACLU have told us in no uncertain terms that there’s no way they’d get on board with our effort to nullify NSA by turning off resources to the agency.…

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Senate Shuts Down Rand Paul Filibuster Against Surveillance Act Renewal

"Today's vote means reforms to provide stronger Fourth Amendment protections from unwarranted searches will not happen and a filibuster can't actually stop the scheduled vote. The USA RIGHTS Act is essentially dead, unless the full vote fails. (Spoiler: Since the renewal bill survived a cloture vote, it won't fail.)"

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