MILES O'BRIEN, ANCHOR: Attorney General John Ashcroft is asking Congress for more legal weapons in the war on terror. On Capitol Hill today, he told lawmakers the Patriot Act is helping catch suspected terrorists, but should be expanded to give prosecutors even greater powers. And he responded to complaints about the government's treatment of illegal immigrants after 9/11. CNN justice correspondent Kelli Arena with more.</s>KELLI ARENA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Attorney General Ashcroft offered his first public defense of the Justice Department's actions regarding detainees in the aftermath of September 11. And he strongly defended the new powers granted under the Patriot Act, suggesting the act needed to be strengthened to continue to fight the war on terror. On the issue of detainee, Ashcroft was responding to the inspector general's report, which stated among other things, that illegal aliens were held for too long before they were either deported or let go. Ashcroft offered a very impassioned defense.</s>JOHN ASHCROFT, ATTORNEY GENERAL: The policy of the department, for which we do not apologize, was until individuals apprehended, who were here illegally, who don't have a right to bail or bond, who are here illegally, before we would release them, prior to their deportation, we wanted to have them cleared. We believe that's the right policy in protecting the American people.</s>ARENA: As for the Patriot Act, the new powers granted under the act have caused a great deal of concern. The law gives federal agents more power to conduct wiretaps and searches, for example. Well, the attorney general says without it the U.S. could not successfully prevent future attacks.</s>ASHCROFT: Our ability to prevent another catastrophic attack on American soil would be more difficult, if not impossible, without the Patriot Act. It has been the key weapon used across America in successful counter-terrorist operations to protect innocent Americans from the deadly plans of terrorists.</s>ARENA: Congress, is of course, grappling with whether or not to extend those new powers beyond 2005 when they expire. Ashcroft not only supports an extension, but suggested that more powers were necessary, including the ability to detain terrorism suspects before trial. Kelli Arena, CNN, Washington.
Ashcroft Asks for Expanded Powers if Patriot Act Renewed