Glen McGregor reports that Canada’s privacy commissioner doesn’t want biometric data of Canadians accessible to U.S. authorities under the PATRIOT Act: Canada’s privacy watchdog has gone to court to stop the collection and storage of fingerprints from students who apply to medical schools. Privacy commissioner Jennifer Stoddart launched legal action in Federal Court last week,…
Tag: PATRIOT Act
Patriot Act renewal delayed
John Bresnahan reports: House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) has rejected a Senate plan to include amendments to the Patriot Act in a larger Pentagon funding bill covering the soaring cost of the war in Afghanistan, arguing that to do so would lead to a “revolt on the left,” according to Democratic insiders. Pelosi’s decision, announced…
Ninth Circuit rejects Patriot Act challenge for lack of standing
Matt Glenn of JURIST reports: The US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled [opinion, PDF] Thursday that a lawsuit seeking to declare parts of the Patriot Act unconstitutional must be dismissed for lack of standing. Brandon Mayfield, an attorney arrested in 2004 based on FBI error in connection with the 2004 Madrid train…
Authority to Spy on Americans Unclear as Patriot Act Expires
Elizabeth Gorman reports: Rushed into law by Congress just weeks after Sept. 11, 2001 three controversial provisions of the Patriot Act granting officials far-reaching surveillance and seizure powers in the name of national security, are due to expire this New Year’s Eve. Two differing bills passed by the House and Senate judiciary committees in recent…