The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) works to defend and preserve individual rights and liberties guaranteed by the Constitution and laws of the United States. They are concerned about potential infringements on individual rights and liberties in the context of government surveillance under the Patriot Act.
According to their website: The passage you mentioned is from the website of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).
Mission of the ACLU: The ACLU's mission, as stated on their website, is to "defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed by the Constitution and laws of the United States."
Passage about surveillance under the Patriot Act: You mentioned a passage about surveillance under the Patriot Act, but you didn't provide the content of the passage or specify who wrote it. However, based on your question, it appears to be a document related to the concerns of the ACLU regarding surveillance under the Patriot Act.
Author of the document: Without the specific information about the author of the document, it's challenging to provide a precise answer. The document could be an official statement from the ACLU, a legal analysis, or commentary written by someone associated with or supported by the ACLU.
Concerns of the ACLU: The ACLU is most concerned about potential infringements on individual rights and liberties, particularly in the context of government surveillance under the Patriot Act. The Patriot Act is a U.S. law passed in response to the 9/11 terrorist attacks, and it grants expanded powers to law enforcement agencies to investigate and combat terrorism.
Relation to the Patriot Act: The document you referred to likely addresses the implications of the Patriot Act on civil liberties, expressing the ACLU's perspective on potential threats to individual rights posed by the Act.