A traveler has his baggage searched at an airport security checkpoint.
What is the proper balance between national security and civil liberties?
The Constitution guarantees rights and freedoms to all American citizens. But during war and other crises, government leaders have limited such civil liberties in order to protect citizens’ lives. Should they? Use the timeline below to explore this enduring issue.
1790s Undeclared War With France
Alien Act allows President to imprison or deport resident aliens. Sedition Act limits freedoms of speech and press.
1860s Civil War
Lincoln suspends the right of habeas corpus.
1940s World War II
Government sends more than 100,000 Japanese Americans into internment camps.
1950s Cold War
Anticommunist investigations violate some people’s rights.
2001 War on Terrorism
Patriot Act helps catch terrorists but may reduce privacy rights.
The World Trade Center towers in New York City burn after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
Terrorism and the Patriot Act After the devastating terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, the United States declared a “War on Terrorism.” Congress passed the Patriot Act to help law enforcement agencies prevent future terrorist attacks. The Act was to expire in 2005. In spite of controversy regarding it, Congress voted to extend the provisions of the Patriot Act to 2009.
“I have a lot of problems with the Patriot Act…. It gives the government the ability to spy on its citizens and on foreign nationals without probable cause of a crime, to get wiretaps and warrants. It gives them the ability to get records from libraries and bookstores on people who are not targets of any criminal investigation.”
—David Cole, professor, Center for Constitutional Rights
“Right after 9-11, the President turned to the Attorney General and said very simply, “John, you make sure this does not happen again.” Preventing another catastrophic attack on the American homeland would have been extremely difficult if not impossibly so without the tools that Congress provided in the USA Patriot Act.”
—Viet Dinh, Assistant U.S. Attorney General