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Since the tragedy of September 11, Congress passed the Patriot Act as a response to the terrorist act. However, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) criticizes the Patriot Act and claim that it is an excuse to spy on US citizens. The Patriot Act was not created in order to spy on US citizens, as the ACLU would try to convince us to believe. The use of “roving wiretaps” and obtaining personal records will help law enforcement and federal agents to more effectively stop and prevent terrorism.
Contrary to what the ACLU believes, roving wiretaps allow federal agents to follow terrorists. Some terrorists are trained and sophisticated enough to evade surveillance. In order to track these terrorists, federal agents need to use roving wiretaps in order to follow them. This will lead to improved apprehension of terrorists and reduction of terrorist crime.
Despite what the ACLU thinks that obtaining personal records is unconstitutional, it allows the government to get hold of certain records, if needed, to aid in an investigation. Investigators may need to examine business records in order to solve certain crimes. The ACLU says that this violates the First and Fourth Amendment by infringing upon freedom of speech and conducting searches without a warrant. However, in matters concerning national security, the government should be able conducted these searches despite the fact that it violates the First Amendment. Since law enforcement is able to obtain business records, it would only make sense for federal agents to access records in national security cases from federal courts.
The ACLU also argues that the Patriot Act was created for the government to spy on U.S. citizens. However, it was created for the capture terrorists and prevention of terrorism. By using “roving wiretaps” and searching through business records held by third parties, federal agents are able to apprehend terrorists. It would only make sense to pass the...