Category «Civil Liberties»

TSA Is Forwarding Names, Photos, and Flight Details to ICE

Mother Jones – “The secret airport deportation program denies victims any semblance of due process. The Transportation Security Administration is forwarding passenger lists to Immigration and Customs Enforcement in order to detain and deport travelers while denying them the chance to challenge the process, according to documents obtained by the New York Times. A Times …

Subjects: Civil Liberties, E-Government, E-Records, Government Documents, Legal Research, Privacy, Transportation

The Return of MAGA’s Favorite Forbidden Book

The Atlantic Gift Article – What an apocalyptic French novel about a migrant invasion reveals about the worldview of nationalist conservatives – “Not long ago, a book party like this would have been unthinkable: a Washington celebration of one of the most notorious French novels ever written. But on a frigid December night, some 50 …

Subjects: Censorship, Civil Liberties, Education, Knowledge Management, Legal Research

The Military Suppliers Behind Immigration Raids

Bloomberg (no paywall): “In the final weeks of the 2025 fiscal year, the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement agencies went on a spending spree to outfit officers as they fanned out across American cities: $12.2 million for rifles, $11.3 million on tasers and $3.7 million worth of chemical munitions and less lethal materiel. Those were among …

Subjects: Civil Liberties, Free Speech, Freedom of Information, Government Documents, Legal Research

The Nation’s Data at Risk: 2025 Report

The Nation’s Data at Risk: 2025 Report – “This report continues ASA’s multiyear effort to assess the state of the U.S. federal statistical system, with a focus on developments in 2025. It highlights challenges and opportunities across five dimensions: staffing and capacity; system structure and funding; innovation; congressional engagement; and stakeholder support. It concludes with …

Subjects: Censorship, Civil Liberties, E-Records, Economy, Freedom of Information, Government Documents, Internet, Knowledge Management, Legal Research

Civicus downgraded US civic space rating from “narrowed” to “obstructed

“Civicus downgraded the United States’ civic space rating from “narrowed” to “obstructed,” citing a sharp erosion of fundamental freedoms under a year of Trump-era actions—including militarized crackdowns on protests, expanded ICE deployments, restrictive laws, surveillance and harassment of civil society, suppression of campus speech, pressure on journalists, threats to revoke broadcast licenses, lawsuits against media …

Subjects: Censorship, Civil Liberties, Education, Free Speech, Freedom of Information, Internet, Knowledge Management, Legal Research, Search Engines, Social Media

Border Patrol Agent Recorded Raid with Meta’s Ray-Ban Smart Glasses

404 Media: “We’ve got new photos and videos showing a Border Patrol agent using Meta’s Ray-Ban smart glasses during an immigration raid. When we’ve covered CBP’s use of the tech before, the recording light on the glasses was not on. That’s different this time: the glasses are clearly in use. This matters because DHS bans …

Subjects: Censorship, Civil Liberties, E-Records, Legal Research, Privacy, Social Media

Global Platform Launches to Combat Authoritarian Censorship and Preserve Independent Journalism

“As authoritarian regimes worldwide escalate their assault on independent media, PEN America and Bard College today announced the launch of Kronika, a new digital platform designed to safeguard journalism globally and ensure that the historical record cannot be obliterated by censorship. The initiative is an expansion of the Russian Independent Media Archive (RIMA), which PEN …

Subjects: Censorship, Civil Liberties, Education, Internet, Knowledge Management, Legal Research

Donald Trump’s War on Free Speech & the Need for Systemic Resistance

Free Press: “We took the freedom of speech away.” President Trump in opening remarks at his “antifa roundtable” (October 2025) Download the Report  Key Findings  Timeline of Attacks “This Free Press report examines the Trump administration’s hostile relationship with dissent and free expression in 2025. It analyzes how President Trump and his political enablers have …

Subjects: Censorship, Civil Liberties, Free Speech, Freedom of Information, Government Documents, Internet, Knowledge Management, Legal Research

DOGE Isn’t Dead. Here’s What Its Operatives Are Doing Now

Follow up to DOGE ‘doesn’t exist’ – with eight months left on its charter, via Wired, see DOGE Isn’t Dead. Here’s What Its Operatives Are Doing Now [no paywall] -“…On Instagram, Yat Choi described his work as ongoing, announcing that he was returning to the underground Pennsylvania mine where federal retirement claims are processed. “Like …

Subjects: AI, Censorship, Civil Liberties, E-Government, E-Records, Freedom of Information, Government Documents, Internet, Knowledge Management, Legal Research

Beekeepers, Farmers and the Fight to Save a Century-Old Research Hub

The New York Times: What Happened: Trump plans to shut down the 115-year-old Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, the country’s largest USDA research hub, and scatter its programs, staff, and collections across multiple states. Scientists and farm groups warn the relocation will upend critical research on pollinators, plant diseases, food safety, and crop resilience. Why It …

Subjects: Civil Liberties, Education, Environmental Law, Food and Nutrition, Government Documents, Health Care, Knowledge Management

The Economic Consequences of the Second Trump Administration: A Preliminary Assessment

Center for Economic Policy Research: The Economic Consequences of the Second Trump Administration: A Preliminary Assessment, 2nd Edition 315 pages. See John Coates [Harvard Law School] chapter, The Rule of Law, begins on page 33 and includes an addendum on rule of law developments from April to September, starting at page 46. …At the President’s direction, …

Subjects: Censorship, Civil Liberties, Climate Change, Congress, Courts, Economy, Financial System, Freedom of Information, Government Documents, Knowledge Management, Legal Research, Legislation

Google Starts Sharing All Your Text Messages With Your Employer

Forbes – “Microsoft triggered a viral furor when it revealed a Teams update to tell your company when you’re not at work. Now Google has done the same. Forget end-to-end encryption. A new Android update means your RCS and SMS texts are no longer private. As reported by Android Authority, “Google is rolling out Android …

Subjects: Censorship, Civil Liberties, Cybercrime, Cybersecurity, E-Mail, E-Records, Internet, Knowledge Management, Legal Research, Privacy