The act expanded the government's power to conduct surveillance programs and to detain immigrants suspected of supporting terrorism.Passed overwhelmingly by Congress in October 2001 and renewed or extended several times since then, the act expanded the US government's power to wiretap and conduct surveillance without prior cause, to access private records without oversight, and to detain indefinitely immigrants suspected of supporting terrorism, among other provisions.

DEFINE: Describes the USA PATRIOT Act's expansion of government powers without naming the act directly.

Green, Todd H, The Fear of Islam_ An Intro…, loc. 564