The terrorist acts that took place in New York and Washington, D.C. on September 11, 2001 have left an indelible mark on the United States and the millions of people who live within its borders. Issues of national security and homeland defense now require the special attention of both the government and public at large. As a result of these new concerns, both legal and illegal immigrants face more stringent restrictions on their civil liberties, as well as more rabid discrimination from native Americans. This is especially true of immigrants from the Middle East, who are often targeted because the terrorists responsible for the September 11th tragedy were from the Arab/Muslim world. Thus, immigrants in the United States now must struggle to maintain both a sense of stability and safety in their lives, as the legal system and their communities have served to make their lives increasingly difficult.
In the aftermath of the events of September 11th, the United States government immediately acted to improve the security of its citizens. As a result, over 750 Middle Eastern immigrants have been detained without explanation, and almost double that number have been interviewed by various authorities at random (Wilgoren A21). Overall, more than 5000 citizens of foreign countries have been detained by the government since the terrorist attacks. Of these numbers, only a few have officially been charged with crimes related to terrorism. Many were not permitted access to lawyers, and their judicial processes were performed in secret. In the end, over 500 individuals faced deportation due to immigration violations (Eviatar C1).
In many states, including Virginia, laws have been introduced that require individuals applying driverÆs licenses to prove that they have residences within the state. By January, anyone who cannot prove that they are in Virginia legally will not eligible for a license. Indeed, all across the Unit...