PETITIONS
Start A Petitionbrowse
MENU

No More Travel Abuses by the Department of Homeland Security!

Traveling shouldn't mean checking your rights when you're checking your luggage. Yet the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) continues to ask Americans to sacrifice more and more of their privacy for an illusion of security.

Among the DHS' offenses are:

1. Security agents who search laptops and other electronics as Americans enter the United States, with no suspicion of wrongdoing.

2. Invasive airport scanners that let agents conduct virtual strip searches of passengers.

3. A terrorist watch list with more than 1 million names on it, growing by 20,000 names per month.

4. A proposal to have every traveler wear an "electro-muscular disruption" bracelet that airline personnel or marshals could use to shock passengers into submission.

These policies are invasive, abusive and ineffective. It's time for some sanity when it comes to security. Tell Congress we need humane, effective reforms that will keep us safe while protecting citizens' dignity.

read petition letter ▾
Dear Congressperson:

Traveling shouldn't mean checking your rights when you're checking your luggage.

Yet, more and more, the Department of Homeland Security is asking Americans to sacrifice their privacy for an illusion of security. I urge you to introduce legislation to protect the civil liberties of travelers and conduct vigorous oversight. Please:

1. Overhaul the broken terrorist watch list.

In July, the terrorist watch list surpassed 1 million names, and it is growing at over 20,000 names per month, according to reports by the DOJ Inspector General. Congress needs to rip this list up and start again. It should be limited to actual terrorists. Innocent travelers need a way to get off the watch list and real checks and balances if DHS is non-responsive.

2. Require reasonable suspicion for electronic searches at the border.

According to the published policy of DHS, the government reserves the right to look through any laptop or electronic device crossing the border, saying it is no different from any other luggage. DHS has even seized laptops, holding them indefinitely. The government should have a reasonable suspicion of wrongdoing before doing laptop searches.

It's time for some sanity when it comes to security. Yet, in addition to the above abuses, DHS has already started conducting virtual strip searches of travelers using new, invasive scanners. Remarkably, there has even been interest in having every traveler wear an "electro-muscular disruption" bracelet that airline personnel or marshals could use to shock passengers into submission.

DHS has shown that it cannot be trusted to protect the civil liberties of Americans. That's why I am counting on you. Please take action to protect the rights of your constituents.

[Your comments here]
Sign Petition
Sign Petition
You have JavaScript disabled. Without it, our site might not function properly.

2. Require reasonable suspicion for electronic searches at the border. According to the published policy of DHS, the government reserves the right to look through any laptop or electronic device crossing the border, saying it is no different from any other luggage. DHS has even seized laptops, holding them indefinitely. The government should have a reasonable suspicion of wrongdoing before doing laptop searches. It's time for some sanity when it comes to security. Yet, in addition to the above abuses, DHS has already started conducting virtual strip searches of travelers using new, invasive scanners. Remarkably, there has even been interest in having every traveler wear an "electro-muscular disruption" bracelet that airline personnel or marshals could use to shock passengers into submission. DHS has shown that it cannot be trusted to protect the civil liberties of Americans. That's why I am counting on you. Please take action to protect the rights of your constituents. [Your comments here]

Privacy Policy

By signing, you accept Care2's Terms of Service.
You can unsub at any time here.

Having problems signing this? Let us know.