The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) said Tuesday it is suing the National Security Agency to try to stop it from collecting and storing Americans’ phone records.
Eighteen privacy and civil liberties groups have joined together to file the suit.
Together, the groups argue that collecting phone records is an infringement on Americans’ right to free association.
Earlier this year an NSA contractor leaked information on the program, under which the government collects the phone numbers and duration of calls within the U.S., and stores the data to be examined later, should investigators decide there is a reason to suspect terrorist activity.
The other groups who are part of the lawsuit are:
* First Unitarian Church of Los Angeles
* Bill of Rights Defense Committee
* California Association of Federal Firearms Licensees
* Franklin Armory
* Free Press
* Free Software Foundation
* Greenpeace, Inc.
* Human Rights Watch
* Media Alliance
* National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, California Chapter
* Open Technology Institute
* People for the American Way
* Public Knowledge
* Students for a Sensible Drug Policy
* TechFreedom
* The Calguns Foundation
* Unitarian Universalist Service Commission