The ACLU releases a report on Fusion Centers, which explores the secretive data collection and sharing program. The goal of the national fusion center program is to develop surveillance models that measure how suspicious the data of individuals might look. The report raises questions about the effectiveness of a surveillance project intended to watch over 300 million people. The program also incorporates the data wearhouses of private companies who are invited to participate in the project.

The 10th Semi-Annual Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Office of Inspector General report covers the period of April 1-September 30, 2007. DHS was created primarily to protect the United States against terrorist attacks, but the major challenges they have faced are natural disaster management and mitigation. Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Wilma, the wildfires in the west, and droughts in the south have kept the agency busy. A surprising fact: the report reveals that in 2005 72% of the $400 million in housing funding for those displaced by hurricane damage went to Mississippi. The report does include the names of DHS Inspector General staff--a very welcomed display of transparency.

DETROIT – In a letter sent to Central Michigan University (CMU), the American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan urged its president to recognize the right of individuals to videotape public figures in public places on the campus.

The Privacy Office of the Department of Homeland Security will host a series of panel discussions December 17-18, 2007, on the topic of CCTV privacy best practices. The workshop is intended as an opportunity to begin discussions on the topic of privacy and the use of CCTV surveillance. Interested parties are encouraged to submit comments to the agency on the topic of CCTV surveillance and privacy best practices. The agency has provided significant funding to local governments for the expressed purpose of deploying CCTV surveillance technology. All submissions received must include the docket number: DHS-2007-0076. Written comments may be submitted by any one of the following methods: E-mail: privacyworkshop@dhs.gov. Include ``CCTV Workshop Comment'' in the subject line of the message. Facsimile: 703-235-0442. Mail: Toby Milgrom Levin, Department of Homeland Security, Washington, DC 20528.

Washington, DC – The House Homeland Security Committee grilled government officials today about the government’s terrorist watch list, asking the same question the American Civil Liberties Union has been posing for years: Why is the list so enormous? The list has ballooned to 860,000 people and continues to grow.

NEW YORK – In response to today’s New York Senate hearing on “Protecting Our State’s Security,” which will include a discussion on Governor Eliot Spitzer’s recent decision to submit to the Real ID Act, the following can be attributed to Donna Lieberman, Executive Director of the New York Civil Liberties Union: “Governor Spitzer should reverse course and reject the implementation of the Real ID Act in New York State. The state Senate should pass Res. No. J2096, which is an anti-Real ID Act resolution currently co-sponsored by 22 senators.