by Bailey Chrabascz
September 11, 2001, is a date that will go down in history as the largest terrorist attack. It is arguably one of the most tragic events in United States history. The series of airplane hijackings, that resulted in the collapse of the Twin Towers and death of thousands of civilians, united the country during a time of grief.
The terrorist attacks changed everything. Immigration law and policy was forever changed after the events that took place on 9/11. The country quickly became closed off to any foreigners who might harm us. Border patrol and border surveillance have grown exponentially. The hijackers were able to obtain a visa from the U.S, go through the point of inspection, and into the United States without being detected, revealing the vulnerability of the Immigration system. The government was quickly faced with a task to fix the gaps in domestic immigration laws and strengthen our country’s security.
Immigration laws were not the only thing that was impacted by the events of 9/11. Air travel and airport security was changed immensely. Air travel became more stressful than ever. Before the awful day, passengers and their families were able to walk right to the gate together. Security screeners were nowhere near as intrusive as they are today.
Our first responders risked everything that day in order to protect us. More than four hundred New York firefighters and police officers lost their lives that day. Those who survived that terrible day, are struggling with physical and mental health issues. Our country will forever be grateful for the service men and women who risked their lives that day. They will forever be our heroes.
On September 11th, every year, we not only remember those who lost their lives, but also those who risked their lives to save others. It is a day we will never forget. It not only reshaped the global response to terrorism, It permanently changed the way we live. The miserable and heartbreaking day united the country, during a time of mourning. It is a day we will truly never forget.