U.S. policy and surveillance shifts following 9/11

Following the September 11 attacks, the United States government implemented policies including the creation of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), increased mass surveillance, and involvement in long-term wars. Critics argue that instead of closing borders to prevent future attacks, political leaders expanded government power and reshuffled constitutional rights.

In the immediate aftermath, President George W. Bush visited the Islamic Center of Washington, D.C., to state that the acts of violence violated the fundamental tenets of Islam. He repeatedly asserted that terrorists were attempting to ‘hijack Islam itself’ and worked to ensure that the American public did not blame the Islamic faith for the attacks.