The Minneapolis Shootings Underline the Advantages of Body Cameras, Which DHS Has Been Slow To Adopt
A pending appropriations bill could increase transparency and accountability by requiring DHS personnel to record encounters with the public.
Fourth Amendment
DHS Retreats From the Claim That the Agents Who Killed Alex Pretti Faced a 'Violent Riot'
The department now describes the threat as "several civilians" who were "yelling and blowing whistles."
Gregory Bovino's Legacy: Lies, Violence, and Unchecked Federal Power
Although Bovino is gone, immigration officials will continue to disregard rights and the rule of law under President Donald Trump.
Alex Pretti's Death Widens a Split Between Trump and Gun Rights Groups
Federal officials suggested that carrying a firearm is inherently threatening and an invitation to police violence.
Border Patrol Agents Started the Scuffle That Led to Alex Pretti's Death
As with Renee Good, a calmer response could have avoided the lethal outcome.
Trump Backpedals From Portraying Alex Pretti As a 'Domestic Terrorist' and 'Would-Be Assassin'
Although the president initially reinforced that plainly inaccurate narrative, his subsequent comments cast doubt on the initial justification for shooting the Minneapolis protester.
Leaked ICE Memo Claims Agents Can Enter Homes Without Judicial Warrants
Under this understanding of the Fourth Amendment, an attorney at the Institute for Justice says, “there is little left of the rights of Americans to be secure in their houses.”
DHS Again Promises a Thorough Investigation of a Fatal Shooting After Prejudging the Outcome
"The victims are the Border Patrol agents" who killed Alex Pretti, says one DHS official, who previously claimed Pretti wanted to "massacre law enforcement."
'We Are Not Investigating' the Shooting of Renee Good, the Deputy Attorney General Says
Todd Blanche joins other top administration officials in declaring that ICE agent Jonathan Ross was justified in killing Good. Most Americans disagree.
ICE Agents Flouted DHS Policies That Could Have Prevented Renee Good's Death
DHS tells officers to use "de-escalation tactics," employ "a verbal warning" instead of force when feasible, and avoid "placing themselves in positions" that trigger the use of deadly force.
Federal Agents Used a Battering Ram to Enter a Minneapolis Home Without Valid Warrant, Video Shows
“Any American should be terrified by…such an egregious violation of the Fourth Amendment,” said the arrestee’s attorney.
The FBI Thinks Renee Good's Anti-ICE Activism Is Relevant in Deciding Whether Killing Her Was Justified
It is hard to see how, since that question hinges on what happened the morning that an ICE agent shot her.
The ICE Agent Who Killed Renee Good Disregarded Traffic Stop Guidelines
Jonathan Ross positioned himself in front of Good's car and continued firing even after he was no longer in its path.
Video of the Minneapolis ICE Shooting Does Not Resolve the Issue of Whether It Was Legally Justified
The crucial question is whether the agent reasonably believed the driver he killed posed a threat, even if she was not actually trying to run him over.
DHS Invokes Immigration Enforcement To Justify Gathering Americans' DNA
A proposed rule change would allow routine gathering of biometric data without a warrant.
Did Brett Kavanaugh Just Apologize for Butchering the Fourth Amendment? Maybe.
Puzzling over a curious omission from the conservative justice.
If You Give a Bear a Badge, Will It Respect Your Rights?
Despite their general ignorance of constitutional law, bears pose a much less grave threat to your civil liberties than humans do.
Department of Homeland Security
DHS Says REAL ID, Which DHS Certifies, Is Too Unreliable To Confirm U.S. Citizenship
It's the punch line to a bad joke that started 20 years ago when Congress passed the REAL ID Act.
How Politicians and Cops Tried To Dodge Responsibility in 2025
Presidents, legislators, and police officers were desperate to blame anyone but themselves.
The Fourth Amendment's Erratic Year at the Supreme Court
The right to be free from unreasonable search and seizure had a rocky 2025.
Mercy Otis Warren, the Founding Mother Who Opposed the Constitution
Remembering an important voice from the founding era.
This Tennessee Man Spent 37 Days in Jail for Sharing an Anti-Trump Meme. He Says the Cops Should Pay for That.
Larry Bushart's lawyers argue that his arrest for constitutionally protected speech violated the First and Fourth amendments.
These Congressmen Want To Give You the Right To Sue Federal Law Enforcement for Violating Your Rights
The proposed bills aim to revive and codify a 1971 Supreme Court ruling that allowed individuals to sue the feds for Fourth Amendment violations.
A Texas News Vlogger Asks SCOTUS To Decide Whether Criminalizing Journalism Is 'Obviously Unconstitutional'
This is Priscilla Villarreal’s second trip to the Supreme Court, which last year revived her First Amendment lawsuit.
CBP Agents Held This U.S. Citizen for Hours Until He Agreed To Let Them Search His Electronic Devices
A federal lawsuit argues that the agency's policy of perusing travelers' personal data without a warrant or probable cause violates the Fourth Amendment.
DHS Continues Airport Cash Seizures, a Year After the Justice Department Ended Them Due to Constitutional Concerns
A year ago the Justice Department suspended the DEA's airport interdiction program because of significant legal risks. The DHS is still using the same tactics.
How ICE Is Watching Your Thanksgiving Drive
ICE and Border Patrol are using license plate cameras for extensive domestic surveillance.
Mass Surveillance Is Powering a New Era of Pretextual Traffic Stops
An extensive network of automatic license plate readers is being used to develop predictive intelligence to stop vehicles, violating Americans’ rights.
Trump Says Legislators Committed Treason by Noting That Soldiers Are Not Obligated To Obey Unlawful Orders
The president's authoritarian response to a video posted by six members of Congress, who he says "should be arrested and put on trial," validates their concerns.
Federal Agents Can Continue To Use Riot Control Weapons in Chicago With Limited Oversight Amid Pending Appeal
The ruling comes as federal immigration agents leave Chicago for operations in Charlotte, North Carolina, and New Orleans.
Misconduct in the James Comey Case Stemmed From a Reckless Rush To Indict Him
A magistrate judge says the government’s missteps may warrant dismissal of the charges against the former FBI director.
Missouri Town Will Pay $500K To Settle Lawsuit Over Deputy Shooting Blind and Deaf Dog
The Animal Legal Defense Fund says it's one of the largest settlements for the police killing of a dog.
Federal Immigration Agents Accused of Tear-Gassing Peaceful Protestors, Pointing Gun at Veterans in Chicago
The actions would violate a federal order imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Sara L. Ellis to limit the use of nonlethal weapons and other crowd control tactics.
A D.C. Man Was Arrested for Mocking National Guard Troops with Star Wars' 'Imperial March.' Now He's Suing.
Sam O'Hara went viral for playing "The Imperial March" behind groups of National Guard soldiers in D.C. He also says it led to him being illegally detained.
ICE Is Mounting a Mass Surveillance Campaign on American Citizens
Without strict oversight, the agency’s new technology threatens Americans’ free speech and privacy.
Hoover Webinar with Orin Kerr on His "The Digital Fourth Amendment"
I interviewed Orin on this program earlier this month; seems quite popular, 108K views so far.
SCOTUS Probably Won't Put Any New Limits on Warrantless Home Searches
The Supreme Court heard oral arguments this week about the "emergency aid exception" to the Fourth Amendment.
Can Police Enter Your Home Without a Warrant? The Supreme Court Will Soon Decide.
Even well-intentioned “community caretaking” can’t justify ignoring the Fourth Amendment.
Treasury Department Surveillance at the Southern Border Faces Fourth Amendment Challenges
A new FinCEN rule forced small money services businesses to collect personal data on nearly every customer transaction. Lawsuits claim this violates the Fourth Amendment.
Warrantless Searches, Tariffs, and the Unitary Executive: 3 SCOTUS Cases To Watch This Fall
In a new Supreme Court term packed with big cases, these disputes stand out.
ICE Arrested a U.S. Citizen—Twice—During Alabama Construction Site Raids. Now He's Suing.
“I got arrested twice for being a Latino working in construction,” says Leo Garcia Venegas, the lead plaintiff in a new lawsuit filed by the Institute for Justice challenging warrantless ICE raids on construction sites.
DHS Collected DNA from 2,000 U.S. Citizens Without Due Process. It's Now in a Law Enforcement Database.
By expanding federal agents' authority to collect the DNA of immigrant detainees, the government has risked violating Americans’ rights.
Louisiana Cops Beat a Naked Inmate During a Strip Search. Long Withheld Video Shows He Was Compliant.
Although the officers were eventually criminally convicted, Jarius Brown is still pursuing damages to cover the medical expenses for serious injuries to his face, nose, and chest.
Kavanaugh Flouts the Fourth Amendment and Blesses Trump's Racial Profiling
The justice’s stance on immigration enforcement is undermined by the facts of the case before him.
Supreme Court Issues Dubious "Shadow Docket" Ruling Staying Injunction Against Racial Profiling in Immigration Enforcement
There is no majority opinion, so the reasoning is unclear. But Justice Kavanaugh's concurring opinion undercuts principle that government must abjure racial discrimination.
Florida Deputies Jailed Her for 3 Days Even Though She Was Obviously Not the Suspect Described in a Warrant
A federal judge cleared the way for Jennifer Heath Box's lawsuit against the cops who misidentified her as a fugitive, despite a "mountain of evidence" that they had the wrong woman.
