Today, September 11th, is a somber anniversary indeed for all the obvious reasons. Along with the unfathomable tragedy and loss of that day in 2001, the changes that followed in both federal and state laws promulgated in an effort to prevent future attacks from within our Country have adversely impacted those not contemplated by law-makers.
The REAL ID Act and the Patriot Act impact a countless number of undocumented and documented immigrants in the United States. These laws impose harsh burdens and penalites within the immigration process that result in what is most certainly unintended consequences.
We must never forget the lessons of this horrible event and never forget the people and families who were and continue to be victims. It has been 11 years, however, and Congress should examine the affects that the Patriot Act has on preventing terrorism and look to see if amendments are possible to lessen the adverse impact for those who do not pose a threat to our security in the immigration context.
