Wyden Slams 'Unfettered Access' for Law Enforcement to Passport Data of 145 Million Americans

[cbabe]

https://www.commondreams.org/news/2022/11/04/wyden-slams-unfettered-access-law-enforcement-passport-data-145-million-americans

Wyden Slams 'Unfettered Access' for Law Enforcement to Passport Data of 145 Million Americans

"Sen. Wyden is right to raise the alarm," said one privacy rights advocate, noting that current policy "allows untold federal agents to engage in problematic fishing expeditions."

JESSICA CORBETT
November 4, 2022

U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden on Friday released a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken demanding reforms to the practice of allowing 25 federal intelligence and law enforcement agencies "unfettered access" to the passport application data of over 145 million Americans.

"The department has voluntarily taken on this role, and in doing so, prioritized the interests of other agencies over those of law-abiding Americans."

Yahoo News, which first revealed the letter Thursday, noted that the Oregon Democrat uncovered the State Department's practice during his ongoing probe into the outlet's reporting about Operation Whistle Pig, a leak investigation launched by officials at the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) National Targeting Center.

The letter explains that according to the public version of a report on the Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General (OIG) review of the incident, "a CBP officer in a unit that was supposed to be looking into forced labor abuses inappropriately accessed the passport application of a U.S. journalist for purposes of 'vetting'" the reporter.

Wyden stressed to Blinken that "in the normal course of criminal investigations and intelligence collection, federal officers must rely on legal processes," such as subpoenas or court orders, to obtain such personal information, and "the fact that many of the same records are readily available to federal agents through direct access to State Department passport applications removes any checks and invites exactly the kind of abuses detailed in the OIG report."

"The department's mission does not include providing dozens of other government agencies with self-service access to 145 million Americans' personal data," the letter highlights. "The department has voluntarily taken on this role, and in doing so, prioritized the interests of other agencies over those of law-abiding Americans. While there is a legitimate role for the use of this information by law enforcement, the current unregulated system of interagency access to millions of Americans' records goes far beyond what a reasonable person would expect or tolerate."

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(inappropriately accessed the passport application of a U.S. journalist for purposes of 'vetting'" the reporter.)

(dozens of other government agencies with self-service access to 145 million Americans' personal data," )

[dalton99a]

1. Kick

https://news.yahoo.com/exclusive-state-dept-gives-law-enforcement-intelligence-agencies-unrestricted-access-to-americans-personal-data-020409616.html
Exclusive: State Dept. gives law enforcement, intelligence agencies unrestricted access to Americans' personal data