Lawmakers quickly forgot the principles in which this country was formed. The government's policies seemed to have changed after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

The U.S. Constitution, Bill of Rights and laws exist for a reason, and they can't be abandoned because of terrorism threats.

But President Bush, Attorney General John Ashcroft and a federal appeals court seem to think it's OK, and the court ruled the government can withhold names and details about detained foreigners from anyone, including their own families.

But not only can they withhold names, but they also are allowed to keep it a secret as to why they were detained. The most recent court battle involved 762 foreigners who were in the country illegally and arrested after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

Out of the 762 people, only one was ever charged with a terrorist-related crime and more than half have been deported.

It's the government's job to secure the borders and screen people as they come over to our country. But once these people have crossed, it's too late.

Because of the government's failure to watch the borders properly, they now are attempting to make up for it by treating these people unfairly.

Who knows who could be next? There could be no end what with the USA PATRIOT Act and it's possible sequel. It's scary to think the government can arrest someone and, in a sense, make them disappear. Families and lawyers can't contact these people in efforts to help them.

And this isn't the first time it's happened. The internment camps of World War II and Sen. Joe McCarthy communist trials come to mind as past examples of the leaders of America acting very un-American.

The war on terrorism can't be held above the law, and it's pathetic the government has sunk to this level. Throw out the Constitution, and all sense of security can go out the window with it.