The infamous DHS memo that so many people cite when auditing a building is below.
Before you head over to it, let me remind you that this is a memo. It is not law, it isn’t anything really other than a reminder to all the entities under the DHS protection that these rights are not to be violated. These were rights established long, long, long time before DHS even existed.
Declassified 2010 memo by Department of Homeland Security link: DHS Memo 2010 (mirror1, mirror2, mirror3)
More related reading:
- https://www.nyclu.org/en/cases/musumeci-v-us-department-homeland-security-challenging-government-regulation-restricting
- https://www.aclu.org/blog/free-speech/you-have-every-right-snap-picture
- https://www.thoughtco.com/legality-of-photographing-federal-buildings-3321820
- https://www.fletc.gov/sites/default/files/2Informer15.pdf
- https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20110127/18071812866/federal-officials-finally-admit-that-photographing-federal-buildings-is-not-crime.shtml
Also, it is my opinion and I may be wrong, but the memo doesn’t necessarily say you can record inside of the buildings, even in public areas. I would say that’s up for debate based on the wording of the memo. Do I agree that we should have the right? absolutely. Do I think this memo provides good support of that idea? I’m not too confident about that.