How much have we spent? What liberties have we given up? These are among the questions the Center for Investigative Reporting seeks to answer as part of its homeland security project, America's War Within, launched in September 2008.
Our stories cover immigration, border surveillance, disaster preparedness, the Coast Guard, transportation security, privacy and civil liberties, all responsibilities of the Department of Homeland Security. Recent work includes a major story package we released in advance of the 10-year anniversary of 9/11 in partnership with NPR, the PBS NewsHour and Newsweek magazine. The work revealed how federal programs such as See Something, Say Something and the Nationwide Suspicious Activity Reporting Initiative have placed seemingly innocent Americans in "suspicious activity" reports.
We've also reported on local police forces stockpiling hi-tech, combat-ready gear and published a story and online interactive database about corruption among Customs and Border Protection agents. CIR's reporters are currently working on stories about homeland security contracting, intelligence and local police, the continuing issues of border security and the militarization of police.
