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Patriot Act Provisions Regarding Searches Ruled Unconstitutional
By Matt Squire
printA federal judge ruled on Wednesday that certain sections of the USA Patriot Act are unconstitutional because they allow law enforcement agents to conduct searches and surveillance without showing probable cause. Judge Ann Aiken of U.S. District Court in Portland, Oregon, ruled that Patriot Act provisions that broadened the scope of Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) warrants violated Fourth Amendment provisions against unreasonable searches and seizures. FISA warrants, which typically are issued to monitor or search individuals being investigated for international terrorism against the U.S. can be used by law enforcement agents to access bank records. The ruling was the...
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