Shadow branch of US Justice Department more secretive and powerful than NSA

In addition to the National Security Agency (NSA), there is another agency in the United States that is even more secretive and more invasive. This agency collects more information on people than could be gathered from their metadata.  

This agency is called the National Security Analysis Center (NSAC). This is a shadow branch of the US Justice Department. The agency employs more than 400 people, of whom 300 are analysts and has the annual budget of more than $150 million. 

Also read: NSA and CIA are criminal enterprises

If you have a telephone number that has ever been called by an inmate in a federal prison, registered a change of address with the Postal Service, rented a car from Avis, used a corporate or Sears credit card, applied for nonprofit status with the IRS, or obtained non-driver's legal identification from a private company, they have you on file.

As with so many other departments designed to seize our liberty and exchange it for "safety" from "terrorists," the NSAC was created in the wake of the attacks of September 11, 2001 and was tasked with identifying any other similar threats that may have sneaked into the United States with similar purposes.