LOS ANGELES - Only one day after widespread reports that the FBI is monitoring and infiltrating political organizations, the three California affiliates of the ACLU are seeking information about the intelligence gathering efforts of law enforcement agencies in this state.

The Public Records Act request is being sent to Attorney General Bill Lockyer and focuses on the California Anti-Terrorism Information Center (CATIC) and information that it may have received from the FBI.

"The government should not be wasting resources spying on peaceful critics exercising their First Amendment rights,' said Mark Rosenbaum, legal director of the ACLU of Southern California. "Reports of the FBI illegally monitoring California organizations concern us greatly and are unacceptable.'

Tuesday, the national ACLU released FBI documents that were obtained after the organization filed Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests to find out whether the FBI's partnerships with local law enforcement in Joint Terrorism Task Forces has resulted in increased surveillance of political and religious activity. The documents released on Greenpeace, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals and the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee showed the FBI expanding the definition of "domestic terrorism" to include citizens and groups that participate in lawful protests or civil disobedience.

In the Public Records Act request, the ACLU thanked Attorney General Lockyer for issuing guidelines two years ago protecting privacy rights under the California constitution but cautioned: "with the growing use of state and local law enforcement officials on Joint Terrorism Task Forces (JTTF) run by the FBI there still exists the possibility of entanglement of local law enforcement in federal activities that exceed the scope of their authority under California law."

The ACLU is seeking records on the ACLU California affiliates and chapters, Greenpeace, PETA, United for Peace and Justice, Food not Bombs, Code Pink, Peace Fresno, War Resisters League West, College Not Combat, and the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee among others.

Under the California Public Records Act, the agencies have 10 days to respond.

ORANGE, Calif. - Dozens of concerned community members filled a Santa Ana forum Thursday night in opposition to Orange County Sheriff Michael Carona's proposal to enter into an agreement with the federal government to enforce immigration laws.

The forum, which was sponsored by several local groups including the ACLU Southern California, raised concerns about the plan, which forum participants said would not improve public safety, but would instead hinder it while leaving local taxpayers to foot the bill.

"This proposal does not take into account the actual cost or the harm it will cause to community policing," said Belinda Escobosa Helzer, an ACLU/SC staff attorney. "Law enforcement already has the authority to arrest previously deported felons. This proposal will not solve crime, something law enforcement officials agree with nationwide, and it will not make the public safer."

Despite overwhelming public opposition to the proposals, Orange County and the city of Costa Mesa are slated to enter into an agreement with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The Costa Mesa City Council agreed last week to allow their city police to enforce federal immigration law and become a part of Orange County Sheriff Michael Carona's October proposal, which has yet to be approved by the County Board of Supervisors.

"Instead Orange County will be stuck paying the price for a costly and needless endeavor that is potentially harmful to the safety of our community. Even the former Costa Mesa police chief said the plan would be a 'huge mistake,'" Escobosa Helzer said.

Three major areas of concern with the proposal include:

* Orange County law enforcement is already stretched thin. Under the proposal overburdened officers and deputies will be asked to double their jobs and would have to master and enforce both their regular duties and added immigration enforcement.

* Even though deputies and police officers would be carrying out federal duties, the bill would be passed onto city and county residents who would have to subsidize federal responsibilities with local tax dollars - the amount could easily balloon into the hundreds of millions.

* If local law enforcement is permitted to enforce immigration law in addition to criminal law, the immigrant community will be reluctant to seek help when they are the victims or witnesses of crimes. That means if an immigrant witnesses an attack, a robbery or even a rape they may be hesitant to report the crime or describe the perpetrator to police.

Groups participating in the event include: ACLU of Southern California, Anti-Defamation League Orange County/Long Beach Region, Los Amigos of Orange County, South Asian Network, Santa Ana LULAC Council #147, Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR).

LOS ANGELES - The ACLU and Public Advocates released a report today detailing new ways parents, students and educators are improving public schools one year after important changes in education law went into effect.

The report, which chronicles the first year after a settlement was reached in the historic class action education lawsuit Williams v. California, identifies successes and challenges so far in school district, county, state and community implementation of those new laws.

"This settlement has helped empower school districts and communities with resources to identify and fix problems in schools quickly," said Brooks Allen, an ACLU/SC staff attorney. "Williams provides a foundation for improving California's public education system."

Williams, originally filed in May 2000, charged the state with reneging on its constitutional obligation to provide sufficient instructional materials, adequate learning facilities and qualified teachers. The settlement, which was reached in August 2004, and subsequent legislation hold schools accountable for delivering these basic necessities and provides about $1 billion to accomplish these goals.

The report specifically details how new accountability systems help ensure that all students receive sufficient instructional materials, properly assigned teachers and safe, clean, and functional classrooms. In addition, the report identifies three ways in which school officials, parents, students and teachers can identify problems and create positive change in public schools.

Districts are now required to conduct rigorous self-evaluations through facilities inspection systems and annual instructional materials hearings and then report results to parents and students through public resolutions and School Accountability Report Cards. Parents can use the Report Cards to compare schools and advocate for improvements.

Students, parents, community members, and teachers can now report where a school lacks sufficient textbooks or instructional materials, safe and healthy facilities, or properly assigned teachers through the new Uniform Complaint Process. Complaints must be addressed within 30 working days.

County superintendents are now visiting and reviewing low-performing schools to ensure there are sufficient instructional materials, properly assigned teachers, and clean, safe, and functional facilities. Before the Williams legislation, problems like a lack of textbooks could go unnoticed by the school district. Already students across the state have received tens of thousands of new books and materials and hundreds of unsafe and unhealthy facility conditions have been repaired.

"Governor Schwarzenegger deserves a great deal of credit for settling this case," said John Affeldt, managing attorney for Public Advocates in San Francisco. "Of course, not all problems have been solved in all schools, but the good progress in the first year shows reform can happen with focused support and accountability."

"What we're seeing is that Williams can be a force for change," said Dr. Darline Robles, Los Angeles County Superintendent. "It creates a powerful combination of district self-study supported by county office oversight. I believe the new laws are having their intended effect."

For an electronic or original copy of the report or to talk about specific improvements in your county, please contact Elizabeth Brennan at (213) 977-5252.