FRANK Talks: Securing the Borders and Stopping Terrorism – Scottsdale

Securing the Borders and Stopping Terrorism: A Constitutional Framework

Dr. T.J. Davis, Arizona State University, School of Historical, Philosophical and Religious Studies

Protecting its people is among the first priorities of any government. The Constitution’s Bill of Rights provides protections of the people from the government. How should the U.S. Constitution’s checks and balances operate in securing U.S. borders and stopping terrorism?  How do these protections turn into practical public policies that implement the government’s duty to protect its people while respecting its people’s civil liberties? What is the proper balance between the security of government protection and the civil liberties of being protected from the government?