information about this edition
related portals: Case law, United States Government
sister projects: Wikipedia article, Wikidata itemACLU v. NSA was a lawsuit filed on January 17, 2006 by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) against the U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) to challenge President George W. Bush's so-called Terrorist Surveillance Program.
The plaintiffs requested declaratory judgment and injunctive relief, specifically asking that the court find the program unconstitutional and a violation of federal law, and that it bar the use of the program. The government argued that the lawsuit should be dismissed or alternatively be granted summary judgment based on the State Secrets Privilege and the plaintiffs' lack of standing.
On August 17, 2006, District Court Judge Anna Diggs Taylor ruled that the NSA surveillance program, specifically involving "international telephone and internet communications of numerous persons and organizations" within the United States of America, was unconstitutional and illegal, and ordered that it be halted immediately. She stayed her order pending a appellate hearing expected in September 2006. She did not rule on an alleged NSA call database, citing the state secrets privilege.
On July 6, 2007, the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit held that the plaintiffs in the case did not have standing to bring the suit against the NSA, because they could not present evidence that they were the targets of the Terrorist Surveillance Program.