Date: Mon, 5 Nov 2001 21:57:22 -0500 (EST)
Message-Id: <200111060257.VAA25208@mattababy.mit.edu>
From: belmonte@mit.edu (Matthew Belmonte)
To: CapuanoHR8@aol.com
Subject: oppose the Customs Border Security Act (HR 3129)

As your constituent, I urge you to oppose HR 3129, the Customs Border Security
Act of 2001.  Originally intended to address US Customs employee wage issues,
this legislation in its current form would weaken protections against illegal
searches (HR 3129 Section 141), increase the ability of the government to
electronically track international travellers even when those travellers are
US residents not suspected of any crime (HR 3129 Section 432), and undermine
the right to privacy in personal correspondence (HR 3129 Section 583).

The most distressting of these provisions is Section 141(b), which states,

        `Any officer or employee of the United States conducting a
         search of a perso n pursuant to subsection (a) shall not be
         held liable for any civil damages as a result of such search
         if the officer or employee performed the search in good faith.'

This provision would expand the immunity of customs agents in a way that would
make it nearly impossible to seek redress for an unconstitutional search.  For
all of these reasons, I urge you to oppose HR 3129.

Sincerely,
Matthew Belmonte