My Complaint To The ACLU
Written by S. Wolf Britain
[Copyright (c) 2006 in the U.S.A. and
Internationally by And Now The
Apocalypse! (wolfbritain.com),
and/or S. Wolf Britain.
All rights reserved.]
I have decided to post online a copy of a complaint that I have filed with the ACLU. It speaks for itself, so I will let it explain what it’s about, as follows:
On Friday, 3 March 2006, at about 12:00 p.m., I was visited by two (2) officers of the Department of Homeland Security, Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Federal Protective Service ( FPS ), …, Law Enforcement Inspector, to serve two documents upon me, 1.) “Letter of Restriction, U.S.D.A. Rural Development and Notice of Rules and Regulations Governing Conduct on Federal Property”, and 2.) the U.S.D.A. “Letter of Restriction”, untitled directly.
According to (the) Officer …, these documents resulted from a (false) claim by a U.S.D.A. Rural Development (USDA-RD) employee, … of USDA-RD’s … office(s), that I allegedly threatened her by calling her an “evil bitch” on the telephone several months ago, though these specifics are NOT addressed in either of the above-referenced documents, and though same was not alleged to have literally occurred on federal propery [I have not visited USDA-RD offices, or ANY (other) federal offices and/or property in many years, other than the U.S. Post Office]. No other accusations and/or allegations whatsoever are made.
The DHS “cover letter” only states very generally that “…FPS has received a complaint regarding your alleged disruptive and perceived threatening conduct during the past several years while addressing United States Department of Agriculture staff and personnel acting in an official capacity to carry out duties related to Rural Development programs…”
The USDA-RD “Letter of Restriction” states the following in pertinent part, “…Effective immediately and until further notice, the USDA, Rural Development, State Office, …, has hereby restricted your access regarding the Multi-Family Housing 515 program and your tenancy in …. This restriction requires you to communicate with the USDA, Rural Development, State Office, …, solely in a written format sent through the United States Postal Service mail system, addressed as specified below: USDA, Rural Development, State Office, ATTN: Civil Rights Coordinator, …. This includes, but is not limited to faxes, telephone calls, e-mails, cell phone and voice mail. Failure to strictly comply with the restriction notice above could negatively impact your continued participation in the USDA, Rural Development, Multi-Family Housing, 515 Program…” Signed…, “State Director”, at the same address.
The foregoing documents are NOT issued by a(ny) court of law, or signed by a(ny) judge. Neither do they IN ANY WAY written therein provide any due process rights, appeal procedure(s), etc., or any other legal recourse(s) whatsoever. The notice of “Rules and Regulations Governing Conduct on Federal Property” is extremely general, simply summarizes definitions and penalties, and does NOT provide ANY appeal rights and/or procedures IN ANY WAY WHATSOEVER.
ALL I have done for the past three and a half (3 and 1/2) years that I have resided in …, is file in good faith legitimate, non-frivolous complaints with USDA-RD and four (4) other federal and state government agencies (H.U.D. Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity, Section 8 Complaints department in …; … Human Rights Bureau in …; … Department of Commerce, Section 8 Housing Voucher program, in …; and the … Housing Authority in …, also regarding the Section 8 Housing Voucher program) concerning the illegal activities of my and other government-subsidized apartment owners and management, …, owner and operator, and …, Resident/On-Site Managers of … (where I presently reside), government agencies and/or employees, and other property and/or apartment management, blown the whistle on those illegal activities, and exercised my Constitutional rights to freedom of speech, to complain about illegal activity(ies), to file appeals (known as Grievances) with USDA-RD, to expect complete, proper and completely legal (administrative) Due Process without exception(s), and “to petition the Government for redress of grievances”, on behalf of myself alone, Pro Se, but ultimately seeking to benefit all of the tenants in my present government-subsidized apartment complex in the case of my complaints against the owners and management thereof.
The aforementioned apartment complex is owned and operated by owners of the property which received government loans from USDA-RD for the construction and/or operation thereof, and is government-subsidized by USDA-RD for monetary rental assistance payments to aid the low-income elderly and/or disabled tenants in being able to thereby afford to reside therein. I am a fully, very physically disabled tenant therein, fifty years of age as 4-15-06, and not elderly.
The foregoing law-violating agencies, owners, management, and/or offices, particularly USDA-RD, have habitually and consistently violated the law in numerous ways, including but not limited to not processing Grievance appeals, failing to respond AT ALL in writing regarding same and/or other complaints, habitually and consistently failing to uphold administrative due process requirements under their own regulations, the … State Constitution, and the U.S. Constitution, as well as other laws, allowing ongoing threats against the health and safety of myself and all the tenants residing in my present USDA-RD government subsidized apartment complex, the above-named complex in …, still ongoing, etc.; and I have done NOTHING but carry out and/or exercise my legal rights and duties to report violations of law, file legitimate, non-frivolous complaints, legally demand and/or request that all rights and/or laws connected therewith be upheld, and complain vociferously, though completely legally and without ANY literal threats or illegal activities of ANY kind(s), when those laws and/or rights were not, and still aren’t being, upheld.
All of the foregoing is nothing more and(/or) nothing less than USDA-RD, DHS, the federal government in general, employees of state and local Section 8 housing assistance offices, and/or the owners and/or management of said government-subsidized apartment complexe(s), perpetrating vindictive retribution(s), retaliation(s), extra-, and/or “quasi-“, judicial punishment(s) against me, presumption of guilt based upon nothing but “perceived” conduct and nothing but the word of one (1) federal employee, with absolutely no corroborating evidence whatsoever, curtailing and/or abrogating my Constitutional rights to Due Process of Law and Freedom of Speech, seeking to silence my voice of dissent, whistleblowing, complaint, grievance, and/or appeal for redress of grievances, and for my political ideology, beliefs and/or stand against corporate and government abuses as result of my being a Pro Se Equal, Human, Civil, Legal, Disability, Health, Patient, Transportation, Parental, Housing, Tenant, Homelessness, and Liberty Rights Advocate; Independent Legal Assistant, Troubleshooter and/or Whistleblower; Personal Computer Specialist; Blogger/Blogmaster; Webmaster; Writer; and Poet, etc.
It is also a clearcut attempt to seek removal of (all?) legal exposure, “justified” by the “USA Patriot Act”, for violation(s) of civil and/or Constitutional rights; and, specifically, removing their exposure to (all?) seeking of legal redress from and/or by me (and millions of other Americans nationwide).
Other than the foregoing, no other explanations have been given for the actions thus far taken against me.
I am also under grave and imminent threat of being railroaded, imprisoned, “disappeared”, and/or physically harmed for all of the foregoing; as all it would take to bring about my false arrest and incarceration, as well as physical harm of my person while in the custody of the government, is for a fraudulent claim to be made that I made contact with ANY other employee and/or agent of USDA-RD other than the one (1) office and employee that they “have granted me permission to contact”; and, considering what has already transpired, this is very likely to occur, and/or some other pretext for taking further retributive, retaliatory action(s) against me, such as quasi- and/or extra- legally evicting me, leaving me with no options of a place to live since I am at the mercy of subsidized housing waiting lists, causing me to become homeless, claiming I’m a “vagrant” and therefore an “additional threat to society”, and incarcerating me therefor.
No, I have taken absolutely NO action(s) other than below. I HAVE seriously considered writing to the above-referenced party at said address to file a “Civil Rights Complaint” alleging that DHS and USDA-RD are violating my civil rights; but I’m understandably and justly very concerned that anything and everything I said to them, no matter how legal, tactful and/or appropriate, and/or simply stating the foregoing, would in all likelihood be interpretted as “further threats” which would no doubt almost-immediately bring about my “disappearance”, imprisonment, demise, homelessness, and/or other physical harm. In fact, it is highly likely that all parties involved are hoping that I’ll make ANY such contact, have by the service and “requirements” of the foregoing documents sought to “set me up” and/or “entrap(ped) me”, so that if I do make ANY such contact and/or claims, it will give them the “excuse(s)” they’re looking for to railroad me; so, though I believe it is my legal and/or Constitutional right and duty to write said “Civil Rights Complaint” to them, I am “darned if I do and darned if I don’t”, and under grave “fear” that if I do so I will be “asking for” further retaliations and/or retribution from them; therefore, at least at this stage, I am NOT going to address ANY contact to and/or with them WHATSOEVER. In additional fact, I am even avoiding my apartment management for “fear” that any contact of and/or with them may be interpretted as violating what those documents essentially amount to, a “federal restraining order”, by contacting an “agent” of USDA-RD other than the one and only person and/or office which I have been “authorized” to contact.
I have gone to no other agencies with ANY formal, official complaints, other than to send emails expressing what happened and my concerns to the local ACLU attorney and/or office in …, to employees of the National Lawyers Guild, and to other agencies, family and/or friends, to which I have received little or no response(s).
No, I have not consulted with ANY attorney(s) regarding these matters, as I cannot afford the costs of an attorney, and I have found … legal aid, et al. to be extremely unresponsive and/or beligerant in response to previous matters.
I request that the … ACLU please file a lawsuit on my and(/or) other similarly-situated complainants’ and/or plaintiffs’ behalf seeking any and all just and equitable relief for violation of civil rights by the government. Clearly my instant situation is a case by the federal government of using the “Patriot Act” to allegedly justify abrogating citizens civil rights in retribution and retaliation for exercising those rights and expecting complete legal relief therefrom, and seeking to unConstitutionally and/or otherwise illegally silence such individuals, including myself and no doubt many others’ similarly-situated, and to prevent us/them from even seeking any relief, let alone obtaining any(, etc).
I hereby declare under penalty of perjury under the laws of the State of …, and/or of the United States of America, that the foregoing is true and correct to the best of my knowledge, and that a true and correct copy of this instant “ACLU Complaint” was executed, electronically-signed, served, and/or submitted to all of the above- and/or below- referenced parties by online (internet) complaint-registration form- (“Powered by Sporg.com”) and/or e-mail- transmission at and/or to their usual places of business (and/or residence) by standard business internet and/or e-mail registration and/or practices, on the 27th day of March, 2006, at and/or from the …, in the United States of America.
Very respectfully executed, electronically-signed, served, and/or submitted by,
/s./
S. Wolf Britain, Fully Disabled Sui Juris/Pro Esse Suo/Pro Se Equal, Human, Civil, Legal, and Liberty Rights Advocate
SWB:swb
Electronically signed by: S. Wolf Britain 03/27/06 16:00 (M.S.T.)
CC and/or BCC: National Lawyers Guild; et al.
E-mail “Signature”:
Please check out my personal website for my latest comments and/or favorite quotes on issues related to the “War Against Terrorism”, and the war against Iraq, at http://www.form-legal.com/comments-five.html ; and my poetry on one of my poetry pages on my website, at http://www.form-legal.com/wolf-four.html . Thank you.
My NEW blog is at: http://www.wolfbritain.com/
Additionally, please check out my new “MySpace” blog, at: http://blog.myspace.com/wolfbritain ; and/or profile, at: http://www.myspace.com/wolf
britain
Please sign my petition seeking greater protest(s) against the Bush mobsters, at: http://www.thepeti-
tionsite.com/takeaction/337236706
Also check out Kurt Nimmo’s great alternative news blog, at: http://www.kurtnimmo.com/
Please join Care2 and check out my Care2 Group, “Fans of Kurt Nimmo’s ‘Another Day in the Empire’ Blog”, at: http://www.care2.com/c2c/group/kurt
nimmo
Also check out my Care2 Photo Album(s), at: http://www.care2.com/c2c/photos/view/246814408
/295859164/
Go to Veterans Against the Iraq War (V.A.I.W.), at: http://www.vaiw.org/
Also, check out the International A.N.S.W.E.R. Coalition, one of the main organizations responsible for setting up and carrying out the huge, major protest gatherings and demonstrations nationwide and abroad, at: http://www.answerCoalition.org/
In addition, become familiar with the civil-liberties-protecting National Lawyers Guild, at: http://www.nlg.org/
And familiarize yourself with the American Civil Liberties Union, at: http://www.aclu.org/
Cast your vote now in the national referendum to stop the war in Iraq: http://www.votenowar.org/
To vote to impeach “‘President’-by-Coup”, G.W. Bush, please go to http://www.votetoimpeach.org/ , or http://www.impeachbush.org/ , set up by former Attorney General (during the Johnson administration), Ramsey Clark, and his organization, International Action Center, at http://www.iacenter.org/ .
Commentary
RSS SYNDICATION
MY COMPLAINT TO THE ACLU, by Wolf Britain
My Complaint To The ACLU
Written by S. Wolf Britain
[Copyright (c) 2006 in the U.S.A. and
Internationally by And Now The
Apocalypse! (wolfbritain.com),
and/or S. Wolf Britain.
All rights reserved.]
I have decided to post online a copy of a complaint that I have filed with the ACLU. It speaks for itself, so I will let it explain what it’s about, as follows:
According to (the) Officer …, these documents resulted from a (false) claim by a U.S.D.A. Rural Development (USDA-RD) employee, … of USDA-RD’s … office(s), that I allegedly threatened her by calling her an “evil bitch” on the telephone several months ago, though these specifics are NOT addressed in either of the above-referenced documents, and though same was not alleged to have literally occurred on federal propery [I have not visited USDA-RD offices, or ANY (other) federal offices and/or property in many years, other than the U.S. Post Office]. No other accusations and/or allegations whatsoever are made.
The DHS “cover letter” only states very generally that “…FPS has received a complaint regarding your alleged disruptive and perceived threatening conduct during the past several years while addressing United States Department of Agriculture staff and personnel acting in an official capacity to carry out duties related to Rural Development programs…”
The USDA-RD “Letter of Restriction” states the following in pertinent part, “…Effective immediately and until further notice, the USDA, Rural Development, State Office, …, has hereby restricted your access regarding the Multi-Family Housing 515 program and your tenancy in …. This restriction requires you to communicate with the USDA, Rural Development, State Office, …, solely in a written format sent through the United States Postal Service mail system, addressed as specified below: USDA, Rural Development, State Office, ATTN: Civil Rights Coordinator, …. This includes, but is not limited to faxes, telephone calls, e-mails, cell phone and voice mail. Failure to strictly comply with the restriction notice above could negatively impact your continued participation in the USDA, Rural Development, Multi-Family Housing, 515 Program…” Signed…, “State Director”, at the same address.
The foregoing documents are NOT issued by a(ny) court of law, or signed by a(ny) judge. Neither do they IN ANY WAY written therein provide any due process rights, appeal procedure(s), etc., or any other legal recourse(s) whatsoever. The notice of “Rules and Regulations Governing Conduct on Federal Property” is extremely general, simply summarizes definitions and penalties, and does NOT provide ANY appeal rights and/or procedures IN ANY WAY WHATSOEVER.
ALL I have done for the past three and a half (3 and 1/2) years that I have resided in …, is file in good faith legitimate, non-frivolous complaints with USDA-RD and four (4) other federal and state government agencies (H.U.D. Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity, Section 8 Complaints department in …; … Human Rights Bureau in …; … Department of Commerce, Section 8 Housing Voucher program, in …; and the … Housing Authority in …, also regarding the Section 8 Housing Voucher program) concerning the illegal activities of my and other government-subsidized apartment owners and management, …, owner and operator, and …, Resident/On-Site Managers of … (where I presently reside), government agencies and/or employees, and other property and/or apartment management, blown the whistle on those illegal activities, and exercised my Constitutional rights to freedom of speech, to complain about illegal activity(ies), to file appeals (known as Grievances) with USDA-RD, to expect complete, proper and completely legal (administrative) Due Process without exception(s), and “to petition the Government for redress of grievances”, on behalf of myself alone, Pro Se, but ultimately seeking to benefit all of the tenants in my present government-subsidized apartment complex in the case of my complaints against the owners and management thereof.
The aforementioned apartment complex is owned and operated by owners of the property which received government loans from USDA-RD for the construction and/or operation thereof, and is government-subsidized by USDA-RD for monetary rental assistance payments to aid the low-income elderly and/or disabled tenants in being able to thereby afford to reside therein. I am a fully, very physically disabled tenant therein, fifty years of age as 4-15-06, and not elderly.
The foregoing law-violating agencies, owners, management, and/or offices, particularly USDA-RD, have habitually and consistently violated the law in numerous ways, including but not limited to not processing Grievance appeals, failing to respond AT ALL in writing regarding same and/or other complaints, habitually and consistently failing to uphold administrative due process requirements under their own regulations, the … State Constitution, and the U.S. Constitution, as well as other laws, allowing ongoing threats against the health and safety of myself and all the tenants residing in my present USDA-RD government subsidized apartment complex, the above-named complex in …, still ongoing, etc.; and I have done NOTHING but carry out and/or exercise my legal rights and duties to report violations of law, file legitimate, non-frivolous complaints, legally demand and/or request that all rights and/or laws connected therewith be upheld, and complain vociferously, though completely legally and without ANY literal threats or illegal activities of ANY kind(s), when those laws and/or rights were not, and still aren’t being, upheld.
All of the foregoing is nothing more and(/or) nothing less than USDA-RD, DHS, the federal government in general, employees of state and local Section 8 housing assistance offices, and/or the owners and/or management of said government-subsidized apartment complexe(s), perpetrating vindictive retribution(s), retaliation(s), extra-, and/or “quasi-“, judicial punishment(s) against me, presumption of guilt based upon nothing but “perceived” conduct and nothing but the word of one (1) federal employee, with absolutely no corroborating evidence whatsoever, curtailing and/or abrogating my Constitutional rights to Due Process of Law and Freedom of Speech, seeking to silence my voice of dissent, whistleblowing, complaint, grievance, and/or appeal for redress of grievances, and for my political ideology, beliefs and/or stand against corporate and government abuses as result of my being a Pro Se Equal, Human, Civil, Legal, Disability, Health, Patient, Transportation, Parental, Housing, Tenant, Homelessness, and Liberty Rights Advocate; Independent Legal Assistant, Troubleshooter and/or Whistleblower; Personal Computer Specialist; Blogger/Blogmaster; Webmaster; Writer; and Poet, etc.
It is also a clearcut attempt to seek removal of (all?) legal exposure, “justified” by the “USA Patriot Act”, for violation(s) of civil and/or Constitutional rights; and, specifically, removing their exposure to (all?) seeking of legal redress from and/or by me (and millions of other Americans nationwide).
Other than the foregoing, no other explanations have been given for the actions thus far taken against me.
I am also under grave and imminent threat of being railroaded, imprisoned, “disappeared”, and/or physically harmed for all of the foregoing; as all it would take to bring about my false arrest and incarceration, as well as physical harm of my person while in the custody of the government, is for a fraudulent claim to be made that I made contact with ANY other employee and/or agent of USDA-RD other than the one (1) office and employee that they “have granted me permission to contact”; and, considering what has already transpired, this is very likely to occur, and/or some other pretext for taking further retributive, retaliatory action(s) against me, such as quasi- and/or extra- legally evicting me, leaving me with no options of a place to live since I am at the mercy of subsidized housing waiting lists, causing me to become homeless, claiming I’m a “vagrant” and therefore an “additional threat to society”, and incarcerating me therefor.
No, I have taken absolutely NO action(s) other than below. I HAVE seriously considered writing to the above-referenced party at said address to file a “Civil Rights Complaint” alleging that DHS and USDA-RD are violating my civil rights; but I’m understandably and justly very concerned that anything and everything I said to them, no matter how legal, tactful and/or appropriate, and/or simply stating the foregoing, would in all likelihood be interpretted as “further threats” which would no doubt almost-immediately bring about my “disappearance”, imprisonment, demise, homelessness, and/or other physical harm. In fact, it is highly likely that all parties involved are hoping that I’ll make ANY such contact, have by the service and “requirements” of the foregoing documents sought to “set me up” and/or “entrap(ped) me”, so that if I do make ANY such contact and/or claims, it will give them the “excuse(s)” they’re looking for to railroad me; so, though I believe it is my legal and/or Constitutional right and duty to write said “Civil Rights Complaint” to them, I am “darned if I do and darned if I don’t”, and under grave “fear” that if I do so I will be “asking for” further retaliations and/or retribution from them; therefore, at least at this stage, I am NOT going to address ANY contact to and/or with them WHATSOEVER. In additional fact, I am even avoiding my apartment management for “fear” that any contact of and/or with them may be interpretted as violating what those documents essentially amount to, a “federal restraining order”, by contacting an “agent” of USDA-RD other than the one and only person and/or office which I have been “authorized” to contact.
I have gone to no other agencies with ANY formal, official complaints, other than to send emails expressing what happened and my concerns to the local ACLU attorney and/or office in …, to employees of the National Lawyers Guild, and to other agencies, family and/or friends, to which I have received little or no response(s).
No, I have not consulted with ANY attorney(s) regarding these matters, as I cannot afford the costs of an attorney, and I have found … legal aid, et al. to be extremely unresponsive and/or beligerant in response to previous matters.
I request that the … ACLU please file a lawsuit on my and(/or) other similarly-situated complainants’ and/or plaintiffs’ behalf seeking any and all just and equitable relief for violation of civil rights by the government. Clearly my instant situation is a case by the federal government of using the “Patriot Act” to allegedly justify abrogating citizens civil rights in retribution and retaliation for exercising those rights and expecting complete legal relief therefrom, and seeking to unConstitutionally and/or otherwise illegally silence such individuals, including myself and no doubt many others’ similarly-situated, and to prevent us/them from even seeking any relief, let alone obtaining any(, etc).
I hereby declare under penalty of perjury under the laws of the State of …, and/or of the United States of America, that the foregoing is true and correct to the best of my knowledge, and that a true and correct copy of this instant “ACLU Complaint” was executed, electronically-signed, served, and/or submitted to all of the above- and/or below- referenced parties by online (internet) complaint-registration form- (“Powered by Sporg.com”) and/or e-mail- transmission at and/or to their usual places of business (and/or residence) by standard business internet and/or e-mail registration and/or practices, on the 27th day of March, 2006, at and/or from the …, in the United States of America.
Very respectfully executed, electronically-signed, served, and/or submitted by,
/s./
S. Wolf Britain, Fully Disabled Sui Juris/Pro Esse Suo/Pro Se Equal, Human, Civil, Legal, and Liberty Rights Advocate
SWB:swb
Electronically signed by: S. Wolf Britain 03/27/06 16:00 (M.S.T.)
CC and/or BCC: National Lawyers Guild; et al.
E-mail “Signature”:
Please check out my personal website for my latest comments and/or favorite quotes on issues related to the “War Against Terrorism”, and the war against Iraq, at http://www.form-legal.com/comments-five.html ; and my poetry on one of my poetry pages on my website, at http://www.form-legal.com/wolf-four.html . Thank you.
My NEW blog is at: http://www.wolfbritain.com/
Additionally, please check out my new “MySpace” blog, at: http://blog.myspace.com/wolfbritain ; and/or profile, at: http://www.myspace.com/wolf
britain
Please sign my petition seeking greater protest(s) against the Bush mobsters, at: http://www.thepeti-
tionsite.com/takeaction/337236706
Also check out Kurt Nimmo’s great alternative news blog, at: http://www.kurtnimmo.com/
Please join Care2 and check out my Care2 Group, “Fans of Kurt Nimmo’s ‘Another Day in the Empire’ Blog”, at: http://www.care2.com/c2c/group/kurt
nimmo
Also check out my Care2 Photo Album(s), at: http://www.care2.com/c2c/photos/view/246814408
/295859164/
Go to Veterans Against the Iraq War (V.A.I.W.), at: http://www.vaiw.org/
Also, check out the International A.N.S.W.E.R. Coalition, one of the main organizations responsible for setting up and carrying out the huge, major protest gatherings and demonstrations nationwide and abroad, at: http://www.answerCoalition.org/
In addition, become familiar with the civil-liberties-protecting National Lawyers Guild, at: http://www.nlg.org/
And familiarize yourself with the American Civil Liberties Union, at: http://www.aclu.org/
Cast your vote now in the national referendum to stop the war in Iraq: http://www.votenowar.org/
To vote to impeach “‘President’-by-Coup”, G.W. Bush, please go to http://www.votetoimpeach.org/ , or http://www.impeachbush.org/ , set up by former Attorney General (during the Johnson administration), Ramsey Clark, and his organization, International Action Center, at http://www.iacenter.org/ .
Commentary
About Wolf
Equal, Human, Civil, Legal, and Liberty Rights Advocate; Independent Legal Assistant, Troubleshooter and/or Whistleblower; Personal Computer Specialist; Blogger / Blogmaster; Webmaster; Writer; and Poet; Sui Juris / Pro Esse Suo / Pro Se (meaning that I ONLY represent myself as best I can; that I do NOT practice law or medicine without a license; and that I do not give medical or legal advice, which should be obtained from licensed legal and/or medical professionals). Also a bonafide member in good standing of the National Lawyers Guild (NLG) [as a fully physically disabled former legal worker]; of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU); and of Amnesty International (AI).