[BohDaThone]

The first ten amendments say what they say. Look at the text of each -- e.g.

Third -- "No Soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house" [Not, "in the house of any citizen"]

Fifth -- "No person shall be held to answer for a . . . crime [except by indictment, etc.]" [not "no citizen . . . ."].

Some amendments are limited to citizens: Fifteenth -- "The right of citizens . . . to vote shall not be denied [on account of race]."

Read the text of each, and you'll see who they apply to.

[H.Akston]

"Read the text of each, and you'll see who they apply to" Read the Text of the FIRST 7 WORDS IN THE CONSTITUTION, to see who the Constitution, and everything in it, applies to.

[VeritatisSplendor]

You're the only person on this thread who is making sense. Yes, the text of the Constitution and Amendments refer in some cases to "persons" and in others to "citizens". Non-citizens have some rights, though not as many as citizens. The situation is quite clear! I don't know if Barr meant to say any more than this.

That doesn't mean it should be difficult to arrest, wiretap, or detain suspected al-Qaeda members, warrants should be particularly easy to get since September 11th. And non-citizens have no constitutional right to stay here, just rights while they ARE here; if here illegally, they can be deported or detained without violating their constitutional rights!

[SusanUSA]

Only the first TEN ammendments make up the Bill of Rights.

[LizM]

If the terrorists were to be tried in our courts, under our law, they would have protection of their rights under the Constitution of the United States. But what we had on 9/11 was an act of war from an external power. It was an act of war and not a civil action. The terrorists have claimed this much is true and have placed themselves outside Constitutional protection by their own choice.

As an example, during World War II German agents landed on Long Island by submarine, disguised as civilians with plans to commit sabotage. They were apprehended and tried by secret military commission authorized by President Roosevelt. Six out of the original eight were executed.

By their own choice or acts of war against the United States, they placed themselves outside Constitutional protection. That's how I see this question of Constitutional protection of rights extended to foreigners.