On December 11 federal appeals court ruled in Humanitarian Law Project v. Mukasey, that some portions of the Patriot Act that deal with foreign terrorist organizations are unconstitutional because the language is too vague. Plaintiffs argued that the language of the law is so vague that people could be prosecuted who trained members of foreign groups to peacefully resolve disputes. The ACLU filed an amicus brief, and issued a press release which in reference to the part of the law being challenged states; "that sweeping provisions of the Patriot Act barring 'expert advice or assistance' or training' to groups considered terrorist organizations by the State Department prevented humanitarian groups from providing aid in war-torn areas, because in those areas it is sometimes impossible to provide aid without working with or through organizations that engage in both lawful and unlawful activity.