ACLU sues to get info on license plate tracking

The American Civil Liberties Union has sued to obtain federal and state records on the use of automated license plate readers.

The ACLU filed Freedom of Information Act requests in July and announced lawsuits on Tuesday to force the agencies to release the information.

Some local and federal agencies have reportedly been using cameras to record tag numbers along with the time, data and location. The civil liberties group expressed concern that police are using the technology to track the movements of people not suspected of any wrongdoing.

"The public deserves to know how federal law enforcement and transportation authorities are using tax dollars, not least when their use may threaten our privacy on the open road," wrote Kade Crockford, director of the ACLU of Massachusetts Technology for Liberty Project.

The group sued 38 states, the District of Columbia, the Justice Department and the Homeland Security Department. 

The Transportation Department provided some documents to the ACLU, but the group said it suspects it did not receive everything and has appealed the response. 

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