Faiza Patel
@faizapatel.bsky.social
Co-Director, Liberty & NatSec @BrennanCenter
As the Islamophobic voices rise up again, thought I would point out that its thankfully not easy to denaturalize Americans. www.brennancenter.org/our-work/ana...
How the Supreme Court Rejected Denaturalization as a Political Weapon Long Ago
New threats to strip opponents of citizenship recall a dark history.
www.brennancenter.org
December 16, 2025 at 6:59 AM
As the Islamophobic voices rise up again, thought I would point out that its thankfully not easy to denaturalize Americans. www.brennancenter.org/our-work/ana...
Reposted by Faiza Patel
Trump's latest attempt to thwart state AI rules will probably also fail, as federal agencies like the DOJ and FTC cannot encroach on lawful state regulations without a clear delegation from Congress, Olivier Sylvain argues on @techpolicypress.bsky.social:
Why Trump’s AI EO Will be DOA in Court | TechPolicy.Press
Policymakers should not allow the happy-talk about innovation blind them to the ways in which AI companies may harm consumers, Olivier Sylvain writes.
www.techpolicy.press
December 12, 2025 at 4:48 PM
Trump's latest attempt to thwart state AI rules will probably also fail, as federal agencies like the DOJ and FTC cannot encroach on lawful state regulations without a clear delegation from Congress, Olivier Sylvain argues on @techpolicypress.bsky.social:
Imp thread on new AI regs
1/ The AI provisions in the annual defense policy bill, the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), need more attention. They will shape AI’s impact on national security for decades to come. Here’s the good, the just plain weird, and the really really bad:
December 10, 2025 at 6:11 PM
Imp thread on new AI regs
Reposted by Faiza Patel
Tomorrow at 3:00 House and Senate Democrats will be holding a "shadow hearing" on the detention of U.S. citizens. I'll be there testifying about the broader policy changes which led us to this moment.
/my name isn't in this press release but I'll be there! www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/pre...
/my name isn't in this press release but I'll be there! www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/pre...
Blumenthal & Robert Garcia to Hold Forum to Receive Testimony from Five U.S. Citizens Assaulted, Illegally Detained by DHS | U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut
[WASHINGTON, DC] – On Tuesday, December 9, 2025 at 3 PM ET in 216 Hart Senate Office Building in Washington, DC, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal...
www.blumenthal.senate.gov
December 8, 2025 at 9:49 PM
Tomorrow at 3:00 House and Senate Democrats will be holding a "shadow hearing" on the detention of U.S. citizens. I'll be there testifying about the broader policy changes which led us to this moment.
/my name isn't in this press release but I'll be there! www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/pre...
/my name isn't in this press release but I'll be there! www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/pre...
Highly recommend!
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www.hup.harvard.edu/books/978067...
Get 30% off on all of your favorite @harvardpress.bsky.social titles, including "Threat of Dissent." ⬇️
Use code HOL25 at checkout now through Dec. 31st. 🗃️
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Threat of Dissent — Harvard University Press
“Suspicion of foreigners goes back to the earliest days of the republic…Kraut traces how different ideologies would be considered intolerably dangerous according to the dominant fears of a given era. ...
www.hup.harvard.edu
December 6, 2025 at 3:45 PM
Highly recommend!
Powerful piece on collective punishment after NG shooting. www.nytimes.com/2025/12/04/o...
Opinion | I’m an Immigration Lawyer. Trump Is Shattering My Clients’ Lives.
www.nytimes.com
December 4, 2025 at 3:11 PM
Powerful piece on collective punishment after NG shooting. www.nytimes.com/2025/12/04/o...
Looking forward to discussing Immigration in NYC: Policy, Belonging, and the Future of Sanctuary. This evening @ Columbia. Register here: events.columbia.edu/cal/event/ev...
Immigration in NYC: Policy, Belonging, and the Future of Sanctuary
<p>The <a href="https://holder.college.columbia.edu/" target="_blank">Eric H. Holder Jr. Initiative for Civil and Political Rights</a> Student Advisory Board is pleased to invite you to the ...
events.columbia.edu
December 2, 2025 at 4:10 PM
Looking forward to discussing Immigration in NYC: Policy, Belonging, and the Future of Sanctuary. This evening @ Columbia. Register here: events.columbia.edu/cal/event/ev...
From me and @brennancenter.org colleagues
The Trump administration and its supporters have made numerous threats to revoke the citizenship of political foes who are naturalized citizens — but if the government tries to follow through, it will have an uphill legal battle. bit.ly/4rh6WJT
How the Supreme Court Rejected Denaturalization as a Political Weapon Long Ago
New threats to strip opponents of citizenship recall a dark history.
www.brennancenter.org
December 1, 2025 at 3:42 PM
From me and @brennancenter.org colleagues
There is far more to the NYPD surveillance system than DAS & the disbanded demographics unit. POST act disclosures of surveillance tech have been minimal & NYPD IG which could help shed light weakened. These need fixing for starters.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/30/n...
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/30/n...
Mamdani, a Sharp Critic of Police Surveillance, Will Soon Oversee It
www.nytimes.com
November 30, 2025 at 2:45 PM
There is far more to the NYPD surveillance system than DAS & the disbanded demographics unit. POST act disclosures of surveillance tech have been minimal & NYPD IG which could help shed light weakened. These need fixing for starters.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/30/n...
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/30/n...
1/2 The Liberty & NatSec team @brennancenter.org is hiring for two positions: senior counsel and tech strategist. Pls spread the word.
brennancenter.applytojob.com/apply/86gRwx...
brennancenter.applytojob.com/apply/86gRwx...
Senior Counsel, Liberty and National Security Program - Brennan Center for Justice - Career Page
Apply to Senior Counsel, Liberty and National Security Program at Brennan Center for Justice in New York, NY.
brennancenter.applytojob.com
November 26, 2025 at 2:40 PM
1/2 The Liberty & NatSec team @brennancenter.org is hiring for two positions: senior counsel and tech strategist. Pls spread the word.
brennancenter.applytojob.com/apply/86gRwx...
brennancenter.applytojob.com/apply/86gRwx...
Reposted by Faiza Patel
Social media monitoring systems, cellphone location tracking, facial recognition, remote hacking tools — now being turned on Americans by ICE to target protesters. bit.ly/3Kq348R
ICE Wants to Go After Dissenters as well as Immigrants
The Trump administration is being open about its plans to violate Americans’ First and Fourth Amendment rights.
www.brennancenter.org
November 26, 2025 at 2:03 PM
Social media monitoring systems, cellphone location tracking, facial recognition, remote hacking tools — now being turned on Americans by ICE to target protesters. bit.ly/3Kq348R
Unfortunate branding
November 25, 2025 at 7:24 PM
Unfortunate branding
Reposted by Faiza Patel
Former ambassadors and senior State Department officials — including Steady State members — warn that the U.S. is targeting foreign students and scholars for their lawful speech, undermining free-expression principles and harming America’s global standing.
drive.google.com/file/d/1GIq2...
drive.google.com/file/d/1GIq2...
November 20, 2025 at 7:16 PM
Former ambassadors and senior State Department officials — including Steady State members — warn that the U.S. is targeting foreign students and scholars for their lawful speech, undermining free-expression principles and harming America’s global standing.
drive.google.com/file/d/1GIq2...
drive.google.com/file/d/1GIq2...
The numbers are in: new foreign student enrollment dropped by 17 percent this year. 60+ former sr State Dept officials and ambassadors (both D& R) explain why this is bad for America & Americans: drive.google.com/file/d/1GIq2...
Letter to Rubio - 11.17.2025
drive.google.com
November 25, 2025 at 6:03 PM
The numbers are in: new foreign student enrollment dropped by 17 percent this year. 60+ former sr State Dept officials and ambassadors (both D& R) explain why this is bad for America & Americans: drive.google.com/file/d/1GIq2...
After 9/11, the U.S. built a huge surveillance infrastructure for counterterrorism. It was abused to target Muslim Americans, but the broad authorities were also used to go after protestors. Immigration enforcement is the new counterterrorism: www.brennancenter.org/our-work/res...
ICE Wants to Go After Dissenters as well as Immigrants
The Trump administration is being open about its plans to violate Americans’ First and Fourth Amendment rights.
www.brennancenter.org
November 25, 2025 at 5:52 PM
After 9/11, the U.S. built a huge surveillance infrastructure for counterterrorism. It was abused to target Muslim Americans, but the broad authorities were also used to go after protestors. Immigration enforcement is the new counterterrorism: www.brennancenter.org/our-work/res...
Reposted by Faiza Patel
ICE has long used the latest spy tech to pursue immigrants — but now it’s also targeting anti-ICE protesters and anyone who allegedly funds them. bit.ly/3Kq348R
ICE Wants to Go After Dissenters as well as Immigrants
The Trump administration is being open about its plans to violate Americans’ First and Fourth Amendment rights.
www.brennancenter.org
November 25, 2025 at 2:45 PM
ICE has long used the latest spy tech to pursue immigrants — but now it’s also targeting anti-ICE protesters and anyone who allegedly funds them. bit.ly/3Kq348R
Who would have guessed this would happen? www.nytimes.com/live/2025/11...
Trump Administration Live Updates: Judge Tosses Criminal Charges Against James Comey and Letitia James
www.nytimes.com
November 24, 2025 at 6:30 PM
Who would have guessed this would happen? www.nytimes.com/live/2025/11...
Reposted by Faiza Patel
This is a huge win that you might have missed last week: we successfully pressured airlines to shut down their data broker, which was selling passenger data to the government without a court order. I'm going to keep at it until other industries to follow suit.
After 404 Media's months-long reporting and pressure from lawmakers, the data broker owned by the U.S.’s major airlines will now shut down a program in which it sold access to hundreds of millions of flight records to the government and let agencies track peoples’ movements without a warrant.
November 24, 2025 at 3:32 PM
This is a huge win that you might have missed last week: we successfully pressured airlines to shut down their data broker, which was selling passenger data to the government without a court order. I'm going to keep at it until other industries to follow suit.
Reposted by Faiza Patel
1/6 Thread on story from @us.theguardian.com on FBI & NYPD spying on court watch Signal group chat. Bottom line: this stuff has been happening for ages and until we dismantle the post 9/11 domestic spying apparatus it will keep happening. www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
The FBI spied on a Signal group chat of immigration activists, records reveal
Exclusive: Agency accessed private conversations of New York ‘courtwatch’ group that was observing public hearings
www.theguardian.com
November 21, 2025 at 3:03 PM
1/6 Thread on story from @us.theguardian.com on FBI & NYPD spying on court watch Signal group chat. Bottom line: this stuff has been happening for ages and until we dismantle the post 9/11 domestic spying apparatus it will keep happening. www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
Reposted by Faiza Patel
Across the country, police departments have adopted AI-driven platforms to assist with data collection and analysis. But without robust safeguards, these data fusion tools risk generating inaccurate results, perpetuating bias, and undermining individual rights. bit.ly/44nxPlx
The Dangers of Unregulated AI in Policing
New data fusion tools risk embedding biases and chilling free speech.
www.brennancenter.org
November 22, 2025 at 6:00 PM
Across the country, police departments have adopted AI-driven platforms to assist with data collection and analysis. But without robust safeguards, these data fusion tools risk generating inaccurate results, perpetuating bias, and undermining individual rights. bit.ly/44nxPlx
This is the right outcome. We generally need to re-think the explosive growth in info sharing of the last 2 decades. www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...
Judge blocks IRS from sharing data with DHS for immigration enforcement
A federal judge blocked the Internal Revenue Service from sharing data with immigration enforcement officials, ruling that the tax agency violated federal law and individual rights in its support for ...
www.washingtonpost.com
November 22, 2025 at 12:04 AM
This is the right outcome. We generally need to re-think the explosive growth in info sharing of the last 2 decades. www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...
1/6 Thread on story from @us.theguardian.com on FBI & NYPD spying on court watch Signal group chat. Bottom line: this stuff has been happening for ages and until we dismantle the post 9/11 domestic spying apparatus it will keep happening. www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
The FBI spied on a Signal group chat of immigration activists, records reveal
Exclusive: Agency accessed private conversations of New York ‘courtwatch’ group that was observing public hearings
www.theguardian.com
November 21, 2025 at 3:03 PM
1/6 Thread on story from @us.theguardian.com on FBI & NYPD spying on court watch Signal group chat. Bottom line: this stuff has been happening for ages and until we dismantle the post 9/11 domestic spying apparatus it will keep happening. www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
Reposted by Faiza Patel
Our experts detail what we know about recent crime trends in New York City, including sharp drops in murders and shootings, as well as persistent challenges to tackle.
bit.ly/4o734Zo
bit.ly/4o734Zo
2025 Trends in Crime and Safety in New York City
New York remains one of the safest cities in the country, but some persistent challenges require close attention.
www.brennancenter.org
November 19, 2025 at 5:33 PM
Our experts detail what we know about recent crime trends in New York City, including sharp drops in murders and shootings, as well as persistent challenges to tackle.
bit.ly/4o734Zo
bit.ly/4o734Zo
Reposted by Faiza Patel
I will never forget having to edit Jamal’s final, posthumous piece for the Washington Post, after he was murdered.
He was calling for free expression in the Arab world. You can read it here :
www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/glo...
He was calling for free expression in the Arab world. You can read it here :
www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/glo...
Opinion | Jamal Khashoggi: What the Arab world needs most is free expression
The Arab world needs a modern version of the old transnational media so citizens can be informed about global events.
www.washingtonpost.com
November 18, 2025 at 6:48 PM
I will never forget having to edit Jamal’s final, posthumous piece for the Washington Post, after he was murdered.
He was calling for free expression in the Arab world. You can read it here :
www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/glo...
He was calling for free expression in the Arab world. You can read it here :
www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/glo...
Reposted by Faiza Patel
🚨BREAKING NEWS🚨
We're suing the city of San Jose for its pervasive ALPR surveillance program. With nearly 500 ALPRs, the SJPD allows its officers to search millions of records, all without a warrant. These unconstitutional searches must be stopped. Read the complaint: www.eff.org/cases/siren...
We're suing the city of San Jose for its pervasive ALPR surveillance program. With nearly 500 ALPRs, the SJPD allows its officers to search millions of records, all without a warrant. These unconstitutional searches must be stopped. Read the complaint: www.eff.org/cases/siren...
SIREN and CAIR-CA v. San Jose
The San Jose Police Department has blanketed the city’s roadways with nearly five hundred Automatic License Plate Readers (ALPRs). The police department uses this unblinking surveillance network to
www.eff.org
November 18, 2025 at 6:43 PM
🚨BREAKING NEWS🚨
We're suing the city of San Jose for its pervasive ALPR surveillance program. With nearly 500 ALPRs, the SJPD allows its officers to search millions of records, all without a warrant. These unconstitutional searches must be stopped. Read the complaint: www.eff.org/cases/siren...
We're suing the city of San Jose for its pervasive ALPR surveillance program. With nearly 500 ALPRs, the SJPD allows its officers to search millions of records, all without a warrant. These unconstitutional searches must be stopped. Read the complaint: www.eff.org/cases/siren...