02.24.06
what’s in the Patriot Act, anyway?
From the Sun Sentinel .com:
- Authorizes wiretaps in anti-terrorism investigations.
- Allows immigration authorities to exclude or deport foreigners who belong to groups that endorse terrorist acts or undermine anti-terrorism efforts.
- Allows the detention of foreigners deemed a threat to national security.
- Establishes information sharing among local, state and federal agencies.
- Allows access to certain tax records, library records, business records, medical records, school records and book-customer lists if the information assists anti-terror investigations. The Senate bill makes it clear most libraries are not subject to demands for information about suspected terrorists.
From the United States Department of Justice:
The PATRIOT Act is essential to protecting the American people against the terrorists. The Act tore down the wall between law enforcement and intelligence officials so that they can share information and work together to help prevent attacks. … The PATRIOT Act has helped us to disrupt terrorist plots and break up cells here in the United States. I will work closely with the House and Senate to make sure that we are not without this crucial law for even a day.
Hmmmmm…
