Legal Definitions - USA Patriot Act

The USA PATRIOT Act is a law that was passed after the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. It gives law enforcement agencies more power to collect information on suspected terrorists, share that information with other agencies, and make the country's borders more secure. The law also allows for the detention of suspects on new types of criminal charges and gives the Treasury Department more authority to investigate financial institutions that participate in foreign money-laundering.

For example, if the FBI suspects that someone is planning a terrorist attack, they can use the USA PATRIOT Act to collect more information about that person's activities and share that information with other agencies. This can help prevent future attacks and keep the country safe.