Federal law enforcement’s ability to take phones at the border is being challenged in court. The post The Government Faces High-Stakes Search-and-Seizure Challenges in Virginia appeared first on The American Conservative .
Law The Government Faces High-Stakes Search-and-Seizure Challenges in Virginia Federal law enforcement’s ability to take phones at the border is being challenged in court. (PAUL J. RICHARDS/AFP via Getty Images) Two cases in the Eastern District of Virginia—a court regarded as one of the most deferential to executive branch concerns regarding national security—are testing the federal government’s authority to seize and search Americans’ phones when they re-enter the country from abroad. In the first, decided July 15, a federal judge ruled that Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents had violated the Fourth…Open
Above: ADC President Jenin Younes and plaintiff Max Blumenthal outside the Alfred V.
Bryan US federal courthouse A federal court has granted discovery in Max Blumenthal’s lawsuit against DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin, and called the seizure of his phones a violation of his constitutional rights. The judge framed the case as part of a wider assault on press freedom by the Trump administration. This article was adapted from the ADC and includes additional information and analysis by The Grayzone. This Substack is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Read a full transcript of the hearing here . On July 29, The Grayzone’s Max Blumenthal had his day in court. Represented by the American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) in Blumenthal v. Mullin, a…Open
It is time for localities and states to ban these cameras immediately before society becomes a powder keg. As MAGA Republicans watch American cities decay under decades of Democrat governance—rising crime, open disorder, failed soft-on-crime policies—Flock cameras are being floated as a plausible solution. These automated license-plate readers have proliferated by the tens of thousands […] The post Flock Cameras Harm Law Enforcement’s Aims and Kill Our Constitutional Rights appeared first on StoneZone .
It is time for localities and states to ban these cameras immediately before society becomes a powder keg. As MAGA Republicans watch American cities decay under decades of Democrat governance—rising crime, open disorder, failed soft-on-crime policies—Flock cameras are being floated as a plausible solution. These automated license-plate readers have proliferated by the tens of thousands across the country, often installed with little public notice or debate. What began as a quiet expansion has now triggered a widespread and growing backlash. That backlash is far from irrational. It is the natural response of free people who recognize a fundamental threat to their privacy rights when they see one. Reports of vandalism against Flock…Open
Israel-backed propagandists have demanded Blumenthal face US government persecution for reporting from Iran. It appears the Trump admin obliged.
This was originally published on the website of the ADC. Read the full brief of the ADC’s lawsuit here. The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) filed a time-sensitive motion in the Eastern District of Virginia’s federal court on behalf of journalist Max Blumenthal, seeking the immediate return of two smartphones unlawfully seized and retained by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). The motion argues that CBP’s warrantless seizure and continued retention of Blumenthal’s phones violate the First and Fourth Amendments and the Privacy Protection Act. It seeks the immediate return of both devices and all information or copies obtained from them under Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 41(g), along with an expedited…Open
‘Overall, we have seen few reports of vandalism against Flock equipment’
A new battlefront has opened in the American war against robot surveillance. An increasingly popular social media trend is to post videos on social media showing the destruction of Flock AI (artificial intelligence) surveillance cameras. The cameras have attracted the ire of Americans and legislators who are concerned about privacy and civil liberties. The cameras have been illegally used by law enforcement to stalk estranged wives and ex-girlfriends, as well as in the dissemination of wrongful criminal accusations. The Flock cameras are poles that contain AI-powered cameras and sensors, which allow law enforcement to track and monitor the movement of people and vehicles on foot and in traffic in American cities. The purpose of this…Open
‘privacy does not disappear just because of new technology’
Republican Texas Rep. Keith Self on Wednesday proposed legislation would protect Americans’ privacy when federal law enforcement agencies seek surveillance data from Flock Safety, the Daily Caller News Foundation learned exclusively. The Texas conservative introduced the Protecting Rights in Video and Equipment Acquired Discovery (PRIVACY) Act , which would require federal law enforcement to obtain a warrant before accessing or querying surveillance data collected by state and local systems, including automated license plate readers (ALPRs) and other technologies. Self introduced the legislation as state and localities have canceled or suspended contracts with Flock, citing surveillance and privacy concerns. This also comes after some…Open
