IN TIMES OF WAR, WASHINGTON HAS OFTEN RESTRICTED PERSONAL FREEDOMS IN THE NAME OF NATIONAL SECURITY

You probably thought that the U.S. government always honors and defends the constitution.

1798

The Alien and Sedition Acts are passed by Congress as war with France appears imminent. The acts allow deportation and detention of aliens and prohibit malicious writings against the government.  The act was signed into law by President John Adams.  No one was prosecuted under the law.

1861

After a series of riots in Maryland, President Lincoln suspends habeas corpus and arrests dissidents. This suspension is also used to detain influential citizens and lawmakers sympathetic to the South to prevent the state from seceding.

1863

The Habeas Corpus Act permits suspension of habeas corpus by order of the President for the duration of the Civil War, allowing Lincoln to free or detain prisoners without trial and with impunity.

1917-18

The Espionage and Sedition Acts impose severe penalties for any speech, statement or article written against or interfering with the government in wartime. As a result, union leader Eugene V. Debs is sentenced to 10 years in prison for giving an antiwar speech.

1942

In the wake of Pearl Harbor and amid growing anti-Japanese sentiment, FDR authorizes the relocation and internment of more than 120,000 people of Japanese descent.

1947

Unnerved by the possibility of Soviet infiltration, President Truman establishes the Federal Employee Loyalty Program, requiring all government employees to sign loyalty oaths and submit to loyalty investigations.

2001

Congress passes the USA Patriot Act by a near unanimous vote in response to 9/11. Law­ enforcement officials gain sweeping powers to search without warrants, eavesdrop, and detain and deport terrorism suspects.

2011

President Obama gives federal agents new powers to data-mine terrorism suspect’s devices and communications and delay reading of Miranda rights to suspects under arrest as well as new surveillance powers and the right to interview witnesses without identifying themselves as FBI agents. But Obama also backs off closer surveillance of mosques in the U.S.