Each Friday we'll bring you updates on the latest civil liberties news from Maine and the nation.  

 

Privacy
Do you think police officers should have a warrant before getting text message and data information from your phone company? Don’t want to forfeit your Facebook password to your employer? Don’t want domestic drones spying on you? The ACLU of Maine has got your back. This upcoming legislative session, we will prioritize five bills targeted towards protecting your electronic privacy rights.  Click here to listen to the MPBN story about our number one legislative priority this session.

Drones
Editors at the Portland Press Herald agree with us in saying that Police use of domestic spying drones should be regulated. When we hear about drones in the news, usually it’s about drones that are large, unmanned aircrafts designed to drop bombs. However, a panelist at the ACLU’s nationwide staff conference last weekend told the audience that surveillance drones can be small enough to fly into your window and spy on you from inside your house.

Immigration
Obama gave an important speech on immigration reform this week. We’re pleased that he wants to create a path for aspiring citizens to earn the legal status they deserve to be able to work and raise families without living in fear. However, we have some civil liberties concerns about the senate plan that would mandate E-Verify and continue wasteful and unnecessary spending on the border. Read more about the ACLU’s immigration reform goals here.

DREAMers Drive
The ACLU in Michigan recently urged the Secretary of State to immediately begin issuing driver’s licenses and identification cards to young immigrants brought to the country as children – commonly known as DREAMers. Now Michigan is doing just that. Javier Contreras came to the U.S. when he was four and will now be able to participate in an iconic American rite-of-passage—learning to drive. See a news clip of his story here