The Patriot Act was put into effect after 9/11 after two months as a counterattack plan against terrorism. Sections 215 and 505 of the act violate the 4th amendment and are highly criticized by activists for their ruthlessness and the power it gives governmental officials.
I recently sat down to watch a comedy special called The King’s Jester by Hasan Minhaj. What moved me the most was his experience with the Patriot Act. He described his experience with this law, which helped me understand it at a deeper level. It is helpful to know what the law entails, as well as the intricacies and how it affects communities and the people within them.
Back to Hasan, his mosque got visited by a federal agent with the alias “Eric” that claimed that he was converting to Islam. This man was infiltrating the mosque and its community. Section 215 of the Patriot Act allows this. He also visited Hasan’s house to dine and, while that seems harmless, the fact is the federal agent was searching and being suspicious. At 24-hour fitness, Brother Eric (a federal agent) asks the boys from the mosque, including Hasan, about Jihad. Hasan’s friend calls the cops and about 15 cars pull up. Instead of grabbing the federal agent who was intimidating the boys because of racial profiling, the police officers wanted to question Hasan, who cracked a joke that ended up saving his life. Other kids that had the same thing happen to them in other parts of the U.S were not as lucky. They were intimidated to give false confessions which led to arrest and sometimes more serious consequences.
Hamid Hayat’s story is an unlucky one. He was accused of participating in a terrorist camp in Pakistan by his “friend” Naseem Khan, an FBI informant. Their private conversations would be used against Hamid. He was interrogated for a long time until he admitted the allegations. After the fourth interview, charges were filed against him and his father. They would be tried for different reasons, which would result in unfavorable results for them both. Hamid Hayat’s father Umar served 11 months in prison, and Hamid was sentenced to serve 24 years in prison unjustly. Hamid is released after 14 years after making a false confession that the people coerced out of him with intimidation.
In the US there are a lot more stories like Hamid’s than Hasan’s. There is no line that can’t be crossed with the Patriot Act in place and stories like that will continue. Government officials can search and operate undercover with no respect for those who will ultimately be affected in one way or another. There does not have to be a valid reason for suspecting someone. It further pushes the agenda of racial profiling that does so much harm to communities and the very real people within them. Many things within it do not serve this nation’s message of freedom, life, and liberty for its citizens. As people, the only thing we can do is resist and raise awareness of the harm the Patriot Act causes.