Working to make the promise of the Bill of Rights a reality.
Welcome to Defending Rights & Dissent
Join the grassroots movement to fulfill the promise of the Bill of Rights for everyone. Together, we can make police and intelligence agencies accountable to we the people whom they serve. It’s time to convert your concern and outrage into political action. Let’s do this.
Dissent NewsWire
Dissent Is Essential to Democracy: Statement on Trump’s Calls for His Congressional Critics to Leave the Country
Defending Rights & Dissent condemns in the strongest possible terms these remarks. Trump is willfully conflating criticizing him with hating the United States. He is demonizing dissent and engaging in racist demagoguery.Dissent is essential to democracy.
Supreme Court weakens FOIA, undermining Americans’ right to know
Open and transparent government took another hit when the Supreme Court ruled to broaden the definition of “confidential” materials that are exempt from Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests.
Anti-Protest Bills, from National to State Level, Gain Ground
Following nationwide protests against pipelines, industry-backed legislation has been passed to crack down on protestors. 17 states have had bills criminalizing protests at pipelines with 7 states having passed bills. The situation escalated when Secre… [Read More]
Even More Secrecy for the CIA?
How much secrecy does the CIA need, and why? The CIA wants to expand the Intelligence Identities Protection Act, which makes it a crime to expose the identity of any covert agents who has worked abroad in the past five years. The new provision, which i… [Read More]
The Families Belong Together Corporate Accountability Committee Celebrates SunTrust’s Decision to Stop New Financing of The Private Prison Industry
SunTrust’s decision to stop new financing to the private prison industry and immigrant detention companies is a testament to the growing strength of our movement and the power of everyday people standing up for what’s right.
Criminal Justice Reformers Seek to Use the Power of District Attorney’s Office to Tackle Mass Incarceration
In an upset, public defender Tiffany Cabán won the Queens District Attorney race on June 26th. Supporters of Cabán feel her victory promises a progressive shift in the enforcement of laws in Queens. Cabán has focused on “decarceration.” It’s also part… [Read More]
“FROM BOOKING TO BAGGAGE CLAIM:”PRIVACY AND CIVIL LIBERTIES OVERSIGHT BOARD TO EXAMINE USE OF FACIAL RECOGNITION AND OTHER BIOMETRIC TECHNOLOGIES IN AVIATION SECURITY Board Announces Three New Oversight Projects
The PCLOB will also review FBI backdoor searches of data collected under Section 702, and the NSA’s Call Record Detail program.
House Rejects Amendment to Curb NSA Surveillance
Under so-called “backdoor searches,” agencies, including the FBI and DEA, search these communications without ever obtaining a warrant.
Water Protector Legal Collective Report Condemns Government Treatment of Native Protesters
The report documents illegal treatment of water protectors by law enforcement and courts. It charges this conduct as violations of constitutional and human rights law. The report calls for government accountability and drastic changes in U.S. practices towards Indigenous environmental protectors and their supporters.
Trump Lacks Legal Authority to Attack Iran
According to the New York Times, President Donald Trump ordered a strike on Iran yesterday, only to call it off at the last minute. Only Congress, not the President, has the authority to initiate such a military action. Trump’s attack would have been illegal and unconstitutional.