Patriot Act, Section 206: It’s Impact on Muslim Populations in the U.S. (With Special Reference to Roving Wiretap Policy)

Abstract

The impact on the Muslim Americans of the surveillance measures of the Patriot Act has been great. As the part of the American public which is directly affected, they are becoming an important part of the policy making process. The Patriot Act was the direct result of 9/11. Immediately after the bombings, there was great public support for extreme security measures. There were also noticeable changes in the government policies towards the American Muslim community in the U.S. Both Republicans and Democrats were united to face the threat. And the Patriot Act was one of the first laws that was passed by the Congress and signed by the President in the last week of October 2001. The paper argues that through the Patriot Act, the government of the United States has abused its power by coming down so hard on the Muslim American community. The policy making process in this case was based on an emergency, but now the situation has changed. Therefore, aspects of the Patriot Act and 206 should changed, re-written or terminated. Keyword: Muslim Americans, Patriot Act, United States