The ACLU of Illinois is proud to lead the fight against intrusive and unwarranted spying on innocent Americans. The ACLU is working to put an end to the encroachments on our privacy and free speech rights without adequate - or any - judicial or congressional oversight.

In Terkel, et al v. AT&T, the RBF/ACLU of Illinois represents the late author Studs Terkel, Dr. Quentin Young, attorney James Montgomery, Illinois House Majority Leader Barbara Flynn Currie and other prominent Illinois citizens in challenging telephone giant AT&T for sharing the records and content of their customers' electronic communications (telephone calls and emails) with the government without lawful authorization. In 2006, our case – along with similar lawsuits against telecom companies filed in courts across the nation – was consolidated as multi-jurisdictional litigation and transferred to the federal district court in San Francisco. The ACLU of Illinois, along with lawyers for the Electronic Frontier Foundation, was appointed co-lead coordinating counsel for more than forty cases, including our own. The cases were dismissed in response to the passage of the FISA Amendments Act. The ACLU and EFF are appealing this decision.