Following the September 11 attacks , the Patriot Act was passed . The Act expanded the authority of law enforcement agencies to use administrative detention for the stated purpose of fighting terrorism in the United States and abroad . Under the Act , any person ( citizen or alien ) suspected of terrorist connections may be administratively detained for up to seven days without the benefit of an '' habeas corpus '' proceeding . The Attorney General of the United States , at his discretion , may extend this seven-day period to six months , and this extension itself may be renewed indefinitely – legally creating the possibility of lifetime imprisonment without ever facing charges . One of the criticisms of the PATRIOT Act is that the Attorney General 's decision is not subject to any judicial review , unlike the situation in other democratic countries which have similar administrative detention laws
September 11 attacks
September 11 attacks
Administrative detention