The balance between national security and civil liberties: Protecting citizens\u27 privacy in the face of the rising threat of domestic terrorism

When the United States faces an elevated security threat, executive orders and sunset policies are passed that allow intelligence collection methods that infringe upon civil liberties granted in the U.S. Constitution. This paper argues the sacrifice of civil liberties in response to a heightened security threat is only acceptable if there is a system of checks and balances in place to preserve Constitutional liberties. In a comparison of policies enacted during different administrations from the Civil War to post 9/11, it can be concluded that policies implemented tend to target specific groups, infringe upon the civil liberties of the group, and are justified by a security threat. This paper addresses the need for new policies to put in place a system of checks and balances to allow intelligence collection on U.S. citizens in response to the rising threat of domestic terrorism while still respecting civil liberties