Patriot Act Term Paper

Open, View, and/or
Download this Document

Total Length: 1027 words ( 3 double-spaced pages)

Total Sources: 1+

Page 1 of 3

Patriot Act: Advantages and Disadvantages

Advantages

Increases the Effectiveness of Law Enforcement Agencies

The Patriot Act which was signed as law by President George W. Bush on October 27, 2001 reads like a wish list of the law enforcing agencies. It was long-standing complaint of the law enforcers that the provisions contained in the Bill of Rights such as the "due process" of the Fourth Amendment constrained them in their investigations of suspected terrorists. The PATRIOT Act removes most of these constraints. For example, Section 213 of the Act contains a judicially authorized "sneak and peek" provision that allows law enforcement agencies to perform a search but delay notification for a period of up to three months. Such provisions increase the effectiveness of the law enforcement agencies in pursuing terrorists. (Lithwick and Turner, 2003)

Enhances the Security Environment

A related advantage of the Patriot Act is that it has improved the security environment in the United States. There has been no major terrorist attack in the country after 9/11 and the U.S. administration, including the President and the Department of Justice, attribute it to the security measures made possible by the Patriot Act. ("The U.S.A. PATRIOT Act: Preserving Life and Liberty." 2003). The majority of American people agree that the Security environment has improved in the country as is indicated in various polls. This view was also reflected to an extent in the November 2004 Presidential Polls when a majority of the people endorsed the incumbent for his 'fight against terrorism' policies. 3. The Sunset Clause: Temporary Measure

The Congress, while passing the Patriot Act, realized that it was a temporary measure and inserted "sunset" provisions for most of the sections that have enhanced the discretionary powers of the establishment.

Stuck Writing Your "Patriot Act" Term Paper?

View All Our Example Patriot Act Term Paper

Have A Custom Example Essay Written

In this way, the civil rights of the U.S. citizens would not be negatively affected in the long-term.

Disadvantages

1. Compromises The Fourth Amendment

Several provisions of the Patriot Act arguably compromise the "due process" clause of the Fourth Amendment. For example, the delayed notification provision of Section 213 that allows searches without notice circumvents the "due process" provision of the Fourth Amendment. Other part of the Act such as Section 218, which allows the investigators to conduct secret searches without having to prove "probable cause" of a crime are also problematic and have been severely criticized by the Civil Libertarians.

2. Bad News for Immigrants

The United States has always prided itself as being an open society and "a country of immigrants." It has also reaped the benefits of following a pro-immigrant policy. The best brains in the world have been attracted to the "land of opportunities" to study, do research in, and work. These immigrants have contributed greatly to the country's economy and helped it to retain its scientific edge. 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. Already, declining trends in foreign students' enrollment in the U.S. universities have been witnessed. American….....

Show More ⇣

     Open the full completed essay and source list


OR

     Order a one-of-a-kind custom essay on this topic


Related Essays

Muslim Americans and the Impact of September 11th

day of the attack Patriot Act -- rushed through Congress with reckless abandon. [9: G. Mantri, Homegrown Terrorism. Harvard International Review, 33(1): 94.] THE BACKGROUND TO IMMIGRATION POLICIES IN THE U.S. National security became the foremost important issue in America following 9/11. Hafetz (2012) points out that since the terror attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City, "several areas of overlap between immigration and national security law" have occurred.[footnoteRef:10] Towards identifying the purveyors of violence against Americans, legislators and leaders in American politics have adopted "narratives that pit the rights of… Continue Reading...

Ethics and Technology at Homeland Security

Patriot Act and the Homeland Security Act set the stage for a massive overhaul of the surveillance state, allowing more freedom to the surveillance agencies (Primus, 2011). This has not been received well by citizens who prefer to maintain anonymity and security. The political and social consequences of these Acts will continue to develop in the foreseeable future and DHS should plan accordingly so as not to be accused of acting unethically. Intentional and Unintentional Potentials for Actions to be Models The government sets the example of behavior both around… Continue Reading...

Islamic Terrorism Essay

abrogated civil rights under the umbrella of The Patriot Act, a government attempt to heighten monitoring of potential terrorists and prevent another 9-11 style attack (United States Department of Justice, 2016). It also brought attention to a new type of threat; jihad, as these terrorists styled themselves as holy warriors. What is Jihad? While members of Al Qaeda and subsequent terrorist groups have called themselves mujahideen, jihadists, and jihadi and have proclaimed that their actions are taken in the name of Islam, it is important to understand that their take on the concept of jihad is a radicalized… Continue Reading...

sample essay writing service

Cite This Resource:

Latest APA Format (6th edition)

Copy Reference
"Patriot Act" (2004, November 27) Retrieved June 18, 2025, from
https://www.aceyourpaper.com/essays/patriot-act-59850
   

Open, View, and/or
Download this Document
order custom essay example