LOS ANGELES - A federal judge ordered the release of a Buena Park man who has been held in a federal detention center for exactly two years.

The day before the anniversary marking two years of incarceration at the Terminal Island Federal Detention Center in San Pedro, U.S. District Judge Terry J. Hatter ordered the immediate release of Abdel Jabbar Hamdan.

"I cannot wait to have my dad home," said Hamdan's daughter, Yaman Hamdan, a recent graduate of Chapman University in Orange County. "It has been very hard on our family, but we know that he has done nothing wrong and we hope we can be reunited soon."

A graduate of USC, Hamdan is the father of six U.S.-born children. In 2004 immigration agents arrested him in the middle of the night for technical visa violations. He was later ordered deported to Jordan, where he grew up, but an immigration judge found he would be tortured if he returned to Jordan. Hamdan was never charged criminally.

"Three times judges have said Mr. Hamdan should be released," said ACLU/SC attorney Ranjana Natarajan. "We are thrilled that the day is finally here. The judge clearly said the government has no business detaining him."

Hamdan was an independent contractor for the Holy Land Foundation, a charitable organization that provided humanitarian relief in the Middle East and around the world. The government shut down the organization in 2001 even though it admits the money went to legitimate charitable causes.

The government has claimed since then because of his work that Hamdan is a security risk, but Judge Hatter disagreed, finding that he did not pose any risk and that there is no chance his immigration appeal, which is pending in the 9th Circuit, will be resolved soon.

"We want Mr. Hamdan and his family to be reunited while his immigration case continues," said ACLU/SC attorney Ahilan Arulanantham. "This man has done nothing wrong and the government must follow the court order and release him immediately."

LOS ANGELES - The ACLU of Southern California is saddened by Michael Zinzun's death.

The ACLU/SC represented Michael and others in their brave fight against police abuse of our constitutional rights. Our litigation was instrumental in ending spying by the LAPD, which had illegally gathered millions of pages of surveillance on political activists, peace groups and public officials in the 1970's.

Without Michael's courage the LAPD might still be wasting millions of taxpayer dollars infiltrating, spying and collecting information on the political activities and even medical conditions of law-abiding Americans.

Michael's generosity of heart and commitment to principle made Los Angeles a far better and more humane city. As we see renewed government surveillance of innocent Americans we must remember Michael's example and continue his struggle for respect and dignity for all.

LOS ANGELES - The three California ACLU affiliates are filing Public Records Act requests today seeking information about the state Office of Homeland Security's (OHS) reported tracking of First Amendment activity.

On July 1, the Los Angeles Times reported several incidents involving OHS's spying on political protest throughout the state. The PRA requests were filed with the offices of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and state Attorney General Bill Locker on behalf of 100,000 members of the ACLU.

"We are concerned about the government spying on people throughout the state who have done nothing more than go to a rally," said Ramona Ripston, executive director of the ACLU of Southern California. 'We hope the Governor and the Attorney General will be accountable for their actions and fully cooperate with this request.'

The Los Angeles Times reported that an anti-war protest in Walnut Creek attended by U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-Martinez), an animal rights rally in San Francisco and a Women's International League for Peace and Freedom anti-war rally in Santa Barbara were monitored by the Governor's Office of Homeland Security, according to documents obtained by the Times.

In the PRA request the ACLU thanks Bill Lockyer's "public statements supporting the right of the people to exercise their First Amendment rights without fear of government surveillance" but expresses concern about the possible lack of action taken by the AG's office in response to issues raised internally regarding the actions and authority of OHS. The PRA cites internal Justice Department documents as well as a whistleblower complaint lodged by Ed Manavian, former Bureau Chief of the Criminal Intelligence Division.

"The tracking of political protests by Homeland Security is invasive and inconsistent with the state constitutional right to privacy" said Mark Schlosberg, Police Practices Policy Director of the ACLU of Northern California."To get to the bottom of this, we are seeking all documents related to regulations, oversight, and actions taken by both offices with regard to the OHS. The right of Californians to voice their views on issues of public concern without fear of government monitoring must be vigorously protected."

The California Public Records Act requires a response within 10 working days of receipt of a request.