The 9/11 attacks have impacted our customs security, airline security, and many other factors of legalization of immigrants in our country. Before the attacks becoming a legal citizen was a much quicker process, but since the attacks becoming a citizen requires multitudes of paper work and take upwards of three years to be confirmed as a legal US citizen. Airline security is also tighter now as a result. Before 9/11 you could wave goodbye to the person who was boarding right outside of the boarding gate. Now you cannot go past security with that person unless you have a plane ticket of your own and security involves a screening to make sure you have no illegal objects and you are required to empty your pockets entirely and take off your shoes and other extra items unless you are going through TSA Pre-Check which is typically reserved for active duty and retired military personnel and cannot be used by the average person.