Patriot's Act Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Patriot's Act - Essay Example The Patriot’s Act has given more powers to security agents in the United States to conduct searches, gather intelligence without need of warrants. The Act also allowed the government to freeze monies meant for terror groups and online security has also been bolstered. All these provisions in the Patriot’ Act have increased security and thwarted terror attacks against the United States. However, some provisions of the Act have been ineffective in fighting terrorism and most of these acts are stem from foreign based provisions. Introduction The September 11, 2001 terror attack on the United States shocked the country and the world at large. Following the attacks, several security measures from different fronts were initiated to guard against more terror attacks on the Unites States. One of the measures that were initiated was the enactment of the Patriot’s Act, a law enacted a few weeks after the September 11, 2011 attacks. The Patriot’s act contains several provisions that were to safeguard the United States from terrorism. For instance, the act gives power to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and other agencies to conduct random searches on an individual’s household. The Patriot act is still in operation till today and President Obama extended some of the provisions of the act that were to expire this year. ... Security agencies in the United States have been given more freedom to investigate or interrogate terrorists from all regions globally. The Patriot act has also led to increased security at border points and entry points into the United States including ports and airports. The Patriot Act had a profound effect on the definition of terrorism especially on the front of domestic terrorism where acts of terrors were taken seriously (Wong, 2007). The act reduced restrictions on security agencies and it gave them power to investigate any American citizen while at the same time, the act allowed American security forces to investigate any foreigner suspected of being a terrorist. The act also allowed American security forces to protect critical infrastructure and demand information concerning any individual in the United States (Smith, 2009). The Patriot Act also gave powers to the secretary of Finance to regulate funds of suspected foreign individuals or corporations involved in corruption. The act has however tightened the noose on money laundering and this has reduced terror activities in the United States. The Act contains provisions that gave power to authorities to detain or deport immigrants involved in terrorism. These provisions have been successful in reducing acts of terror in the United States (Citizen 68, 2010). Increased surveillance of the internet and online activity has enhanced security since it has been effective in curbing theft of sensitive information. In terms of general safety, the Patriot Act has been effective in ensuring that acts of terror against the United States are greatly reduced (Stefoff, 2010). The Patriot’s Act has