Introduction
The subsequent occurrences past the 9/11 terror attack reveal the real implication of the U.S. government’s insistence on democracy despite maintaining the title of a republic in Article 4, Section 4 of the Constitution. America’s majority, mostly working through the government and the elected top leaders, directly dominate the masses. Other than looking for harmonious solutions to issues, what the majority in the U.S. favors becomes the law. The country willingly supports inhumane migration, transportation, terrorism, and general security policies that cause more harm than good. America’s blind focus on homeland security violates citizen’s basic rights, making many people rebels.
Background
The liberty statue plays a major role in informing citizens about America’s focus on freedom. The 9/11 incident is largely responsible for the changes in the country today (Cowie, 2022). America mainly struggled with ordinary issues before the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries terror attacks, mostly concerning social differences and irresponsible immigration. President Bush’s determination to free the state from these old concerns is exemplified by the meeting between him and President Vincente Fox of Mexico on September 5, 2001 (Campani et al., 2022). The two leaders identified a way to promote America’s homeland security by eradicating illegal Mexican immigrants. Most Americans equally cherished the aspect, thus implying a possible end to the long-time security issue. However, the 9/11 attack changed everything by causing a fright response among policy-makers and the government, whose effects have lasted to date. Accordingly, the desire to protect America adversely affects immigration freedom and transportation rights while branding almost every minority as a terrorist.
Homeland Security and Immigration Freedom
America is the ultimate destination for many asylum seekers and immigrants fleeing hurting domestic conditions. The country’s stable political system, established economy, and functional social structures influence many people’s decisions to go there. Allowing aliens in the nation reveals America’s commitment to protecting humanity and abiding by the UN’s human rights provisions (Barua et al., 2020). However, the focus on homeland security past the 9/11 attack changed everything about immigration freedom. The U.S. today employs numerous anti-terrorism laws that limit immigrants’ rights to belong to a state as stipulated by the UN regulation. Many people, including American citizens, feel discomfort with the new homeland security laws but have little to do. The government’s overwhelming power regarding the matter seems devastating, with many concerned parties opting to use the glassy judicial system to fight the issue.
Homeland Security and Transportation Freedom
Obsession in homeland security promotion triggered by the reaction to the 9/11 incident adversely affects Americans’ transportation rights. The attack occurred on two commercial flights, leading the government to tighten the sector’s vigilance measures through the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) (Evans‐Nguyen et al., 2021). The Air Transportation Security Act and the Secure Flight program are examples of regulations resulting from the 9/11 case. Equally, the CAPPS II program aims to promote travelers’ safety by screening passengers thoroughly, exposing their nakedness. The August 2015 Amsterdam to Paris passenger train’ attack by extremists worsened America’s situation on transportation freedom. The nation reactively passed laws requiring local travelers to undergo checks and screenings for security purposes. Accordingly, the bellicose searches on travelers infringe essential provisions of the Fourth Amendment as definite in the Constitution. Therefore, finding a balance between security enforcement and liberty promotion is fundamental for the U.S. to maintain stable law-abiding societies.
Homeland Security and Social Victimization
Causing social, political, or economic mayhem is a primary target among terrorists. Succeeding against the extremist groups’ intentions thus requires societies to think expansively, other than reacting blindly. Accordingly, America’s present responses present the country as highly suppressed by terrorists (Abu-Bakare, 2020). The imbalance in enforcing homeland security and the direct violation of basic rights by the government affects Americans almost more than the instantaneous attacks. Yar (2022) notes that myopic immigration laws lead to the separation of young children from their mothers, while anti-terrorism policies treat everyone as a terrorist. Americans now remain more highly divided than at any other time in history. The condition makes terrorists triumphant, with oppression and continuous coercion among civilians turning many people into rebels.
Conclusion
Homeland security objectives in the U.S. are primarily achievable by ensuring a balance between civil liberties protection and security concerns. America exhibited a significantly laid-back policing system before the 9/11 attack. However, terrorists’ violence in the nation led to significant insensitivity, where even parties focused on human rights protection reactively approved government control of the population. Consequently, changes in homeland security measures disrupt essential rights, such as immigration and privacy liberties, and cause social instability. Finding out how European counterparts manage homeland security concerns in the face of terrorism is crucial for the U.S to resolve the present imbalance.
References
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