How did the USA PATRIOT Act expand the meaning of material support for terrorist organizations?

Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

George W. Bush: signing of USA PATRIOT Act — USA PATRIOT Act Pres. George W. Bush signing the USA PATRIOT Act in the East Room of the White House, Washington, D.C., October 26, 2001.

The USA PATRIOT Act expanded the legal definition of "material support" for terrorist organizations to include the provision of "expert advice or assistance."1

This expansion was significant because it broadened the scope of what could be considered criminal support for such groups. While critics argued that this provision potentially infringed upon First Amendment rights regarding speech and association, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of this definition in the 2010 case Holder v. Humanitarian Law Project.1