Today, ART joined a coalition of over 100 organizations in sending a letter to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) urging it to cease any targeting of activists, journalists, and lawyers based on their First Amendment-protected speech and associational activities. The coalition urges DHS to address alarming reports of surveillance activity by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) that jeopardizes First Amendment rights and access to legal counsel, and may violate the Privacy Act of 1974, which states that a government agency cannot create records of U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents’ First Amendment activities when they are not pertinent to and within the scope of its authorized law enforcement activity.