Vasudevan 1

Dan Vasudevan
Wilson 2
HELA 10
9 February 16
Racial Surveillance
When thinking about all the devastating events of this generation, the
plummet of the Twin Towers, is arguably at the top of the list. There was a
palpable bias, which was created upon the Muslim community and
consequently many forms of surveillance originated as well. The National
Security Agency (NSA) was definitively under the limelight. In addition to
the NSA, the FBI, implemented a secretive informant-based program, that
was concentrated strictly in muslim communities. Although, based on
research and reasoning, there has been evidence that these informants dont
help prevent terror. With this knowledge in hand, the FBI informants continue
to surveille these communities, through an oppressive mindset that
increases terrorism. It is clear that these informants arent needed, and since
that they are amplifying the predicament, there is enough reason for the
practice to be stopped.
A salient facet of this system, is that the regulators are often
untrained individuals. A policy action must take place to prohibit the intrusive
surveillance, that is fixated on the improper consideration of race and

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religion (Berman). The program is an inconsequential phenomenon, in which

the goals of counter-terror or degradation of crime, simply cannot be
achieved. Another reason that this program ensures failure is that, when
community members know that informants are potentially monitoring their
speech, community members are less likely to cooperate with law
enforcement effort.(University of California Berkeley School of Law). A
plethora of instances of this sort have occurred, insisting for a cessation.
Racial discrimination is another problem that is lucidly prevalent due to
the FBI informant program. This intrusive monitoring, is unconstitutional and
goes against the American policy of equal rights for every religion (Unegba).
Racism should be avoided in all instances and stopping this program will
considerably deteriorate racial profiling in the United States. In addition to
the current presence of invasive policy, there is clear-cut evidence that if a
hiatus is not presented, then more surveillance is brought into the society
(Beauchamp). The brink is on the the uprising, thus action must be taken as
soon as possible.
A key reason why the informant program is even present in todays
society, is that there is a claim that it curtails crime in of the muslim-based
regions. (Donn). Although, it is apparent that the informants create a chilling
effect, that decreases the crime prevention ability. Another reason to keep
this program is that officials claim its for a mere sense of security. This is
another false claim because no security is being created by the informants,

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and the racist privacy invasion outways the slight risk of present crime.
Ultimately, there is no coherent justification for this program.
The stern presence of these FBI informants is a nuisance. The United
States Federal Government has a moral obligation to end this invasive crime
of a surveillance program as soon, and as efficient as possible. The only
purpose for this program is to prevent any acts of terrorism. Although, it is
conspicuous that terrorism is not being prevented, and it is increasing
instead. No security is being created by this program, only privacy invasion
to the citizens of these muslim communities. In addition to this, this
government funded program is unconstitutional, as it treats one race unfairly
compared to the social norm. For the reasons of decrease in security,
increase in racial discrimination, and an overall unconstitutional deprivation
of privacy, the FBI Informants program is not a necessity and should be
banned.

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Beuchamp, Zach. "Why The NSAs Secret Online Surveillance

Should Scare You." ThinkProgress RSS. 2013. Web. 01 Mar.
2016.
<http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2013/06/07/2120141/why-thensas-secret-online-surveillance-should-scare-you/>.
Berman, Emily. Domestic Intelligence: New Powers, New
Risks. Brennan Center for Justice at New York University
School of Law. 2011. Web. 01 Mar. 2016.
<http://brennan.3cdn.net/b80aa0bab0b425857d_jdm6b8776.pd
f>
Donn, Jeff. "Informants May Get a Pass on Murder." Los
Angeles Times. Los Angeles Times, 2003. Web. 03 Mar. 2016.
<http://articles.latimes.com/2003/mar/16/news/adnadanger16>
Emily Stabile, Recruiting Terrorism Informants: The Problems
with Immigration Incentives and the S-6 Visa 102 Cal. L. Rev.
237 (2014).Web. 01 Mar. 2016.
<http://scholarship.law.berkeley.edu/californialawreview/vol10
2/iss1/7>
Unegbu, Cindy C. "LexisNexis Litigation Essentials "
LexisNexis Litigation Essentials Howard University. Web. 01
Mar. 2016. <https://litigation-

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essentials.lexisnexis.com/webcd/app?
action=DocumentDisplay>.