American Civil Liberties Union: We're calling for dismantling the Department of Homeland Security

https://www.aclu.org/news/immigrants-rights/dismantle-the-department-of-homeland-security-its-tactics-are-fearsome/?initms_aff=nat&initms_chan=eml&utm_medium=eml&initms=200813_dhs_cultivation_gradead_sail&utm_source=sail&utm_campaign=dhs&utm_content=200813_immigration_cultivation_gradead&ms_aff=nat&ms_chan=eml&ms=200813_dhs_cultivation_gradead_sail

The very premise of a "homeland security" bureaucracy is chilling. It's a loaded weapon that sits on the proverbial coffee table in the Oval Office.

This piece originally appeared in USA Today.

As an organization dedicated to civil liberties, civil rights, and the rule of law, we at the American Civil Liberties Union believe that the government has both the authority and responsibility to enforce its laws — laws that promote justice, equality, and the general welfare. In recent weeks, the actions of federal agents have shown us all that the Department of Homeland Security isn’t capable of acting consistently with the Constitution, and should no longer exist in its current state.

The scenes unfolding in Portland, Oregon, and elsewhere are a reminder of the red flags many have raised about DHS throughout its history: that its powers are too great, and that it lacks the oversight and management to be effective. We can preserve our freedoms and our security better by dismantling DHS and beginning anew.