Report: U.S. government kept tabs on journalists, activists over migrant caravan

Sounds like the Stasi. Spying on the media and citizens.

The news report is titled "Tracked by the Government." Legal authorities tracking movements of those suspected of crimes is understandable - but that of journalists and lawyers is a major violation of human rights. And directives for these actions must have originated at a high level. One wonders where the buck stops - and regardless of political affiliation and opinion of the wall, this must not be tolerated.

The local station video is here: https://www.nbcsandiego.com/investigations/Source-Leaked-Documents-Show-the-US-Government-Tracking-Journalists-and-Advocates-Through-a-Secret-Database-506783231.html

There is a fine line between surveillance and monitoring. A lot depends on the the "intent" and the "purpose" as well as the "kind" of information collected and the "methods" used. However, the key to all is in the situation, circumstance, condition, and environment within which such action is taken.

And the definition of human rights and the protection of such rights depends on the "perspective" and on which side of the values one believes to be righteous and true.

However, the key to it all is what action, verbal and physical, can and may actually "hurt" or "cause harm" to the people for whom the surveillance or monitoring is meant to protect.

migrant caravan from Mexico

Child trafficking is a national emergency.

This is interesting and relevant -

Democrats have dismissed crisis at the southern border; numbers of migrants crossing the border illegally now reaches historic record

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-70SHljCoOQ

The US govt has been tracking the movement of everyone since 2001. It isn't just journalist. Driving on highways has tracking. Freeway onramps track license plates. DHS vehicles with 6 license plate scanners constantly drive along roads here. There are traffic cameras at all intersections. https://www.dhs.gov/publication/dhs-ice-pia-039-acquisition-and-use-license-plate-reader-data-commercial-service

In some US cities, the local govt tracks all all bluetooth, wifi, and cell signals using RF receivers on lamp posts. Cars, bicycles, pedestrians, all tracked easily. The data is directly transmitted to DHS servers.

Visit a shopping mall or outdoor shopping center - your phone is being tracked. Same for airports, train stations. Tracked. https://www.smatstraffic.com/

All cell phones are tracked by necessity to provide cellular service. Those records are retained for much longer than known. Some companies, NEVER, delete them. Portals to access this data for govt and law enforcement access at $20 per request have been setup. https://www.businessinsider.com/att-project-hemisphere-016-10

Until the USGovt prevents a journalist from writing what they want, the tracking will continue. They track everyone. No special treatment, unless you are a Washington politician.

There is good news. Most of the captured data is just stored and nobody looks at it without a specific reason.

denied entry to Mexico

That sounds like Mexican Govt decision, not US. Mexico has different laws and standards for people inside their country likely to cause issues. Foreigners do not have a right to protest, for example. Only Mexican Citizens do.

Being a professional Journalist doesn't mean the people cannot also instigator violence. There is clearly a conflict of interest, since peaceful actions don't get the same press coverage and photos of violence seem to gain front page coverage. Humans behave differently when they see a video or high-end camera pointed at them.

kazetsukai: However, the key to it all is what action, verbal and physical, can and may actually "hurt" or "cause harm" to the people for whom the surveillance or monitoring is meant to protect.

Things like this always come down to power and corruption. In a perfect world, I'd let the government get away with quite a lot. But in our world, things like this always seem to get abused by corrupt people at some point. Then intentions become irrelevant.

Thank goodness for the First Amendment, and for the free press who expose the lies and criminal acts of Trump, his family, and his administration.