The Patriot Act

Paper Summary:

The U.S.A. Patriot Act was passed in a hurry by the House of Representatives and the Senate in the wake of the 9/11 terrorist attacks and signed into law by President George W. Bush on October 26, 2001. The act was immediately attacked by the civil libertarians as unnecessary and a violation of the U.S. Constitution. The U.S. Administration and the Justice Department defend the law vehemently, considering it necessary for security reasons. This paper focuses on the criticism of the Patriot Act and the problems faced in its application. It also reviews the current public opinion about the act.

From the Paper:

"Although the Justice Department claims that the PATRIOT Act has been largely responsible for the prevention of further terrorist attacks in the United States since 9/11 (see the official website of the Justice Department), the application of the Act has made the US more of a "police state" than ever before. Provisions in the Patriot Act such as Sections 411 and 412 that allow detention and deportation of aliens without court rulings or judicial review mean that immigrants are now living in a general state of fear. They way over-zealous law enforcement officers apply the Act on immigrants remains largely uncovered by the main-stream press. Shocking stories of such abuse, however, filter out sometimes. For example, a vivid eye-witness account of a PATRIOT-authorized police raid on an Indian restaurant appears in the Alternet. (Halperin, 2003)."

More papers on The Patriot Act:

• Argumentative Essay # 129966 : "The Patriot Act's Impact on American Society"
• Analytical Essay # 134468 : "Opposition and Support for the Patriot Act"
• Analytical Essay # 141693 : "The Patriot Act"
• Analytical Essay # 88544 : "The Patriot Act"

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