Patriot Act example essay topic

308 words
Desperate times call for extraordinary, as well as frantic measures. The aftermath of the September 11 terrorist attacks brought America closer together. Volunteers united to comfort those who lost loved ones. While great patriotism and devotion poured from the hearts of our citizens, Congress developed and passed the Patriot Act. This piece of legislature is unlawful, inadequately defined and isolates the United States from the rest of the world. The Patriot Act is first and foremost unconstitutional.

There are numerous unlawful and illegal sections throughout the entire document. Section 213, for example, "Authorizes Federal district courts to allow a delay of required notices of the execution of a warrant if immediate notice may have as adverse result and under other specified circumstances" (USA PATRIOT ACT). Under this section, law enforcement agencies have the ability of "sneak and peek", (USA PATRIOT ACT) which allows them to perform a search without a warrant. If they find incriminating evidence of any kind the law enforcement bureau "can delay notification for 'a reasonable period' and can be 'extended for good cause shown' to court for any wire or electronic communication or tangible property", (USA PATRIOT ACT) before issuing a warrant for your arrest. This section is in clear violation of Amendment IV, which states, "The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue" (US Const. ).

Throughout the Act, terms are vague and poorly defined. Terrorist organizations, for instance, are defined "as a group: 1) designated under the Immigration and Nationality Act or by the Secretary of State; or 2) a group of two or more individuals, whether related or not, which engages in terror-related activities" (USA PATRIOT ACT).