To point out the obvious, that was when 9/11 happened.

Most of this stuff is a reaction to that, and it still lingers.

I was on a student visa during GWB. It was bad. All my mail from home arrived opened and resealed with DHS-labeled tape. Boarder crossings were interesting, but nowhere near those when i lived in the middle east. My favorite thing was being seated beside someone who was clearly an air marshal.... armed but asleep on the aisle seat of my row.