Document Type
Article
Publication Date
2002
Abstract
It is often said that civil liberties are the first casualties of war. It may be more accurate to say that immigrants' civil liberties are the first to go. In the wake of the devastating terrorist attacks of September 11, we all feel vulnerable in ways that we have never felt before, and many have argued that we may need to sacrifice our liberty in order to purchase security. In fact, however, what we have done is to sacrifice the liberties of some-immigrants, and especially Arab and Muslim immigrants-for the purported security of the rest of us. This double standard is an all too tempting way to strike the balance-it allows citizens to enjoy a sense of security without sacrificing their own liberty, but it is an illegitimate trade-off. In the end, moreover, it is likely to be counterproductive, as it will alienate the very communities that we most need to work with as we fight the war on terrorism.
Publication Citation
29 Hum. Rts. 11 (2002)
Scholarly Commons Citation
Cole, David, "Terrorizing Immigrants in the Name of Fighting Terrorism" (2002). Georgetown Law Faculty Publications and Other Works. 1829.
https://scholarship.law.georgetown.edu/facpub/1829