Chances are you now live in a ‘Constitution Free Zone’.
US Federal District Judge Edward Korman, has reaffirmed an Obama admin policy that grants officials the authority to search Americans’ laptops and other electronics without a warrant, citing a controversial premise that makes citizens within 100 miles of the border eligible for a warrantless police search.
The decision came in Tuesday, more than 3 years after the ACLU filed suit against the policy.
Almost two-thirds of the population (197.4 million people) live within 100 miles of the US border.
Next it will be 200 miles from the border, then 300 and then only people that will retain their rights are those that are making up these totalitarian laws!
ACLU attorney, Catherine Crump, had this to say about this controversial ruling:
“We’re disappointed in today’s decision, which allows the government to conduct intrusive searches of Americans’ laptops and other electronics at the border without any suspicion that those devices contain evidence of wrongdoing,” she said.
“Suspicionless searches of devices containing vast amounts of personal information cannot meet the standard set by the Fourth Amendment… Unfortunately, these searches are part of a broader pattern of aggressive government surveillance that collects information on too many innocent people, under lax standards, and without adequate oversight.”
This nonsense makes my blood boil.
District Judge Edward Korman, a US federal judge, has reaffirmed an Obama administration policy granting officials the authority to search Americans’ laptops, citing a controversial premise that makes citizens within 100 miles of the border eligible for a police check.
District Judge Edward Korman made his ruling in New York on Tuesday, more than three years after the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) filed suit. The ACLU claimed that – since Americans put so much of their lives on their computers, cell phones, and other devices – border officials should have reasonable suspicion before sifting through someone’s personal files.
Attorneys argued that searches conducted without reasonable suspicion are a violation of the Fourth Amendment, which protects against unreasonable search and seizure.
Not so, according to Judge Korman. In his decision Tuesday he argued that the area 100 miles inland falls under a “border exemption.”
“Laptops have only come into widespread use in the twenty-first century. Prior to that time, lawyers, photographers, and scholars managed to travel overseas and consult with clients, take photographs, and conduct scholarly research,” wrote Korman.
“No one ever suggested the possibility of a border search had a chilling effect on his or her First Amendment rights. While it is true that laptops make overseas work more convenient, the precaution plaintiffs may choose to take to ‘mitigate’ the alleged harm associated with the remote possibility of a border search are simply among the many inconveniences associated with international travel.”
The federal government has long conducted searches on travelers entering and leaving the US, but Congress expanded that policy by creating the Department of Homeland Security and setting up at least 33 checkpoints inside the country where people are stopped and asked to prove their citizenship.
The trouble is, the ACLU noted, that almost two-thirds of the population (197.4 million people) live within 100 miles of the US border. New York, Washington, Boston, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Miami, and dozens of other major metropolitan areas fall under the so-called “exemption” zone.
The civil-liberties advocacy group filed suit in 2010 on behalf of Pascal Abidor, a 29-year-old Islamic Studies student whose laptop computer was held for 11 days when he was traveling by Amtrak rail from Canada to his parents’ home in New York.
Abidor was sitting in the train’s cafe car when an officer forced him to take out his laptop then “ordered Mr. Abidor to enter his password,” the suit claimed. The computer contained images of Hamas and Hezbollah rallies and the agents, unmoved by Abidor’s assertion the images were related to his studies, handcuffed the young man and kept him detained for three hours, questioning him numerous times.
Department of Homeland Security data indicates that 6,500 people had their devices search between 2008 and 2010 alone.
Here’s what the ACLU attorney, Catherine Crump, had to say about this controversial ruling
“We’re disappointed in today’s decision, which allows the government to conduct intrusive searches of Americans’ laptops and other electronics at the border without any suspicion that those devices contain evidence of wrongdoing,” she said.
“Suspicionless searches of devices containing vast amounts of personal information cannot meet the standard set by the Fourth Amendment… Unfortunately, these searches are part of a broader pattern of aggressive government surveillance that collects information on too many innocent people, under lax standards, and without adequate oversight.”
The absolute malicious stripping away of our rights has got to stop, folks, we must stand-up and fight back against this at every turn! The future of or Republic is at stake and many want to bury their heads in the sand… Wake Up!!!
BULLCRAP! THEN ALL THOSE ANCHOR BABIES BORN WITHIN A 100 MILES OF THE BORDER NEED TO BE ROUNDED UP AND DEPORTED.
I never thought that I would agree with the ACLU on anything and I still would like to see them disbanded and scattered to the 4 corners of the earth BUT I am with them on this point. If the person or persons are US citizens a search without a warrant is against everything our nation stands for. If the person or persons are caught in an illegal act or is an illegal then our protections should not apply to them and any search should be ok.
JUDGES DO NOT HAVE THE POWER TO MAKE THIS CALL.
Does this man “not” know the law. Does this man “not” know the The US Constitution. I think we all need to get our lawyers ready.
Needs to be a revolution to stop all this c**p
Like anything we do anymore is private. You can be located and spied on no matter where or what you are doing. Unless you live like the amish,you can count on the fact your privacy is no longer private. Stop taking our freedoms and rights away. I didn’t know obama wanted to know my gramma had a hemroid in 2011 or that i am going to be a gramma. Mind your own damn business, you wouldn’t have to fear us if you stopped being a liar and a horrible excuse for a president.
Since when does some judge have the authority to over rule the Constitution. This Judge needs to be disbarred. Where in the Constitution does it say that 100 miles from any border, the rule of law not exist. This is a clear violation of the Fourth Amendment. And I quote “The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers,and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and so Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the person or things to be seized”. The lawlessness continues and unless the people stand up to this, it will only get worse. Justice is suppose to be blind, Justice is suppose to uphold the rule of law, not make interpretation as to what they THINK the Founders meant. Obama is no Constitutional Scholar, I wonder at times if he even graduated from college. No one is above the law, no one has the right to seize anything unless, it is done within the rule of law. There is no Constitutional free zone, these people are making up the rules as they see fit. That is not the way a Republic works, maybe if they wish to turn this nation into a Banana Republic, but not quite yet.
This is against the US Constitution and the very basis of our government.. I have no respectful words about Obama, he is a tyrant and needs to be Impeached- like IMMEDIATRELY!! HE hates the United States and what this nation stands for, and is a Muslim.. It is time to kick him out of the White House— Right NOW!!! The Federal Judge needs to be recalled and kicked out of office as well- just another Barrack Obama “Clone” in the legal system… Obama is the main problem though!! Get rid of him for good! Let him go live in a Muslim country- for good.. Leave the United States alone..
Really? We’re not all one America?
if they are illegal, the constitution doesn`t apply to them they are criminals breaking the law so deport them