Are Parts of the U.S.A. Patriot Act Unconstitutional - Research Paper Example

A Patriot Act is not unconstitutional because… 1. The Patriot Act enhances effective communication between various agencies that fight against terrorism 2. It liberalized many rules with respect to investigation and surveillance to help Federal agencies responsible for crime prevention. 3. It provides increased funding for victims of terrorist attacks and their families, as well as for the rebuilding of business and infrastructure that are damaged by terrorism 4. It helps investigating agencies to deal with the technologically sophisticated terrorists. 5. It cut off support networks that provide enough support to terrorist groups The major criticism labeled against the Patriot Act is the threat raised by it to the fundamental rights and liberties of people.

In the name of safety and security, investigating agencies can interrogate and imprison anybody based on suspicion. It is not necessary that the information gathered by the investigating agencies is always correct. False information lead investigating agencies to arrest even innocent people in the name of Patriot act. It is impossible for Americans to keep their privacy intact after the introduction of this act. In short, patriot act prevents people from enjoying their natural rights, freedom and liberties.

The second disadvantage of patriot act is the fact that it allows indefinite imprisonment of anybody based on mere suspicion without access to counsel or meaningful recourse to the Federal courts. Before the introduction of Patriot act, it was mandatory to the investigating agencies to present a person in custody in courts within a specified time period. Now it is possible for the investigating agencies to keep a suspected person in custody as long as they wish without presenting him in the courts.

Even innocent people forced to suffer the torture of investigating officials because of these controversial clauses in patriot act. “The Patriot Act provides sweeping power to government agencies to monitor the personal habits of not only those who have been identified as suspected terrorists, but anyone residing in the United States as well as United States citizens residing abroad”i. The third disadvantage of patriot act is the permission given to Federal agents to conduct searches without search warrants.

Earlier, search warrants were mandatory before conducting any searches in houses or apartments. Now it is not necessary for the investigating officials to get the permission from courts to conduct searches in any locations. It should be noted that even during midnights, investigating agents creating troubles to innocent people. In short, investigating officials can misuse the authority given to them by patriot act to conduct searches without taking permission either from the courts or from the suspected person.

The patriot permits FBI to monitor even religious services, internet chat rooms, political demonstrations, and other public meeting