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Federal judge rules FBI terrorism watchlist violates constitutional rights
A federal judge ruled Wednesday that a government database of more than one million people identified as "known or suspected terrorists," violates the constitutional rights of U.S. citizens who were added to the list by denying them due process.
Almost two dozen Muslim American citizens who were placed on a watchlist, known as the Terrorist Screening Database, filed suit along with the Council on American-Islamic Relations against the government saying they were wrongly included in the database and that the process for adding names is overbroad and riddled with errors.
Many on the list, which is maintained by the FBI and shared with a variety of federal agencies, said they were subjected to frequent and sometimes invasive screenings while traveling which have led to "adverse experiences and consequences," including being handcuffed at border crossings.
U.S. District Judge Anthony Trenga ruled that the travel difficulties faced by plaintiffs who were on the list are significant and that they have a right to due process when their constitutional rights are infringed.
Previously: Feds Sued for Putting Infant (and Thousands More) on Terrorist Watchlist
(Score: 5, Insightful) by jmichaelhudsondotnet on Friday September 06 2019, @10:03AM (6 children)
Making lists and putting people on them is unamerican, it's actually one of the most nazi things you can even possibly do.
It is nice to see an actual federal judge partially acknowledge this.
But this is so far behind the times. The entire country is on a list, and they have marked it up in discrete charts so that anyone who is difficult to predict is made easy to predict through the magic of undercover infiltration and direct interception of all of the target's communication.
We should replace the word citizen with target about now don't you think?
"We the targets of the United States, in order to build a more perfect prison for ourselves, do humbly give this monstrous indefinable militarized entity of ideological enforcement every right and privelege, to enter our homes at any time to upgrade our listening devices, insomuch as we are deemed a potential threat to the financial models of people born into money."
Or something like that more accurately describes the type of government we inherited from the worst generation of humans to ever live.
thesesystemsarefailing.net
(Score: 3, Touché) by Anonymous Coward on Friday September 06 2019, @10:23AM (2 children)
Everyone on the sex offender registry agrees with you. But people on the voter roles disagree.
(Score: 3, Interesting) by NotSanguine on Friday September 06 2019, @04:27PM
Pissing in an alley outside a bar while drunk, or being in high school and having sex with your partner can get you on a sex offender registry in many states [slate.com]. For life.
The "Terrorist Watchlist" is even worse, as you have no recourse to be removed and usually don't even know you're on such a list.
If you're on a "Sex offender" list, you (presumably) know this and can "petition the government for redress of grievances." [wikipedia.org]
Having no recourse challenge being on a "watchlist" is a violation of the First Amendment to the US Constitution. I don't know *any* voters who are in favor of that. Not that it matters. It's unconstitutional on its face, and the practice must be stopped.
Does this mean you are in favor of repealing the First Amendment?
No, no, you're not thinking; you're just being logical. --Niels Bohr
(Score: 2) by jmichaelhudsondotnet on Saturday September 07 2019, @07:38AM
The more secret the list is, the more nazi it is.
There are also voting rolls. But thankyou for pointing this aspect out.
(Score: 2) by DannyB on Friday September 06 2019, @03:18PM (1 child)
. . . he's making a database, checking it twice, he's going to query who's naughty and nice . . .
The lower I set my standards the more accomplishments I have.
(Score: 2) by jmichaelhudsondotnet on Saturday September 07 2019, @07:47AM
Yes, I reject giving every federal agent and soldier assigned to domestic operations the same powers of santa claus.
But like I said to the other guy, santa claus lets us know he has a list and every year you find out where you stand.
In my personal case, I have been, am being, permanently investigated, which is more of a gruesome sentence prior to trial.
But at least I know for a fact the constitution is already not in effect and that the ultimate laws in effect are not written down anywhere a civilian could find them, or that any actual soldier could understand if they tried. I bet they hire consultants to understand the constitution for them at this point anyway, likely foreign at that.
This is probably the end stage of all empires, the people up top would rather there be too many complicated laws as part of their ongoing war on the minds of the poor people who do not benefit from the system but have to wake up to alarm clocks so that it will function.
(Score: 2) by Rivenaleem on Tuesday September 10 2019, @10:45AM
Goddamn Santa!