by Gil Valo

Created on: July 31, 2011

The Homeland Security Department was created because of the 2001, September 11, Al Qaeda terrorist attacks against the New York World Trade Center. The devastating massacre tightened United States airline terminals to such an extent that many average Americans are aggravated by updated security measures. Osama Bin Laden’s devastating attack on the Twin Tower Buildings is generally considered an act of war.

It is almost impossible for Homeland Security Officials to resist forms of racial profiling. Arab and Muslims are always suspected of terrorist activity more than white Americans. Dark skin foreigners automatically arouse suspicion; they board airplanes and are reported when studying large public buildings. Security professionals get in trouble when they fail to effectively communicate and act on suspicious information. It took alert passengers to stop a Nigerian Muslim from igniting an incendiary device aboard a Northwest airline, Christmas day, 2009. Security personnel failed to stop Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab from entering an airplane bound for Detroit.

Many people complain about inappropriate searches and detentions at airports. Homeland Security personnel are supposed to be controlled by a strict check and balance system of what their military can or cannot do. Their employees who act inappropriately risk severe scrutiny in U.S. Supreme Courts. Security professionals are human. They make mistakes evaluating probable suspicion or probable cause as police officers do. Many members of Homeland Security believe police officers are not qualified to deal with terrorist activity. They believe the military should assist them. Jeffrey H. Norwitz, special civilian agent of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service leans toward more aggressive action. Aggressive action without restraint has often been responsible for getting military officers and policemen in trouble.

Racial profiling influences our government officials viewpoint of foreign internationals whether we like it or not. “In 1985, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) instituted Operation Pipeline, an intelligence-based assessment of the method by which drug networks transported bulk drugs to drug markets, and began training local and state police in applying a drug courier profile as part of highway drug interdiction techniques.”

Often black and Mexican drivers are stopped by police officers because of their skin color more than probable cause.

Recently the Homeland Security Committee criticized

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