Say “TSA” to someone who has flown in the U.S., and you will hear groans and see eyerolls.
Most air travelers are familiar with taking off their shoes and belt, removing all items from pockets, removing electronic devices from backpacks, and more. First-timers to flying in the U.S. are often shocked by how invasive the process can be — after putting all items through the scanner, the passenger has to walk through a metal detector.
Going through the TSA security checkpoint is a nuisance and inconvenience that has led to many missed flights. It is often a factor that requires American travelers to get to airports earlier than we’d necessarily want — it’s better to be safe than sorry.
However, for Americans, this is the price we pay for better air security, especially after 9/11. Or so we’re told. I have definitely brought into the idea that TSA has saved many lives and prevented disasters in the past.
What most people don’t know is sometimes, especially for international travelers, there’s even more screening. This is called “secondary screening,” and it makes the first TSA security checkpoint look like a cakewalk.
I went through secondary screening on a vacation back from Europe. I asked why I was selected, and they told me it was a random selection. I followed all the directions but was left in awe.
Unfortunately, TSA secondary screening is more invasive than you could probably imagine.
The context
We were on a flight returning to the United States from a spring break trip to Europe. Due to a combination of factors, including the U.S. requiring a negative COVID test to get back in the country, we had to rebook to a different flight. The last-minute rebooking was very stressful, but we got back home.
During the connecting flight, we would not learn where we would fly until an hour before the plane took off. We cleared customs, and my fiancee and I had to scan our boarding passes. Hers scanned, but mine did not.
I had to wait in line, and one airport worker told me I had been selected for TSA secondary screening.
I was nervous we weren’t going to make our flight, but the TSA agents and employees reassured me I wasn’t going to miss my flight — flight attendants knew I was there.
Throughout the process, I was polite and friendly with the TSA workers. They were just doing their jobs, after all, but I was curious why I was selected for secondary screening, and the person screening me reassured me I was just selected randomly. During the process, I kept looking at my watch, scared I would miss my flight.
In the back of my head, I wondered whether having a Muslim name would make me more likely to be selected. It turns out it’s not just a hunch — according to Michael Luongo at the New York Times, many Muslims reported constantly being patted down for secondary screenings and pat-downs.
The screening
I sat down with a woman who searched my stuff and asked me to be searched in a way I’d never been searched before. She patted me down, used a handheld metal detector, and asked me to lift up my shirt to my waist would be visible. She asked me to live up my pant legs and roll down my socks.
She asked me to take off my shoes and looked inside the shoes.
She asked me to take my personal and work computers out of my backpack, and then asked me to take my personal backpack out of my case. While I took both computers out, I gave her permission to look through my bag.
She made me start both computers and show her they started properly.
She swabbed both computers, as well as parts of my body and backpack, and put the swabs in a machine.
Takeaways
Well, perhaps I got a taste of what many Muslims experience while traveling. It turns out travelers from certain countries are automatically designated for selective screening.
In 2009, the TSA leaked a list that included these countries: Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Libya, Syria, Sudan, Afghanistan, Lebanon, Somalia, Iraq, Yemen or Algeria.
I probably would have been more uncomfortable if I was a woman, or if I was subject to secondary searches more frequently.
I used to have nightmares of missing flights, and secondary screening can take an awfully long time. For me, it only took 15 minutes, but 15 minutes is a long time when the plane is boarding.
It didn’t bother me that much personally, and I still made my flight. Everyone I dealt with was very kind and tried to get the process done as soon as possible as well.
I later learned this is called Secondary Security Screening Selection (SSSS), and it gets labeled on your boarding pass. In 2010, the ACLU cited the SSSS as raising concerns for civil liberties, due process concerns, racial profiling, and government secrecy.
It wasn’t the worst experience in the world as much as it was an inconvenience. My biggest concern wasn’t about my privacy rights or civil liberties — I really didn’t want to miss my flight!
I told my fiancee about why I was late to the gate, and other people heard our conversation. They were shocked about the extent of the search, but we all moved on with our days.
However, I understand if someone else has a different experience and feels differently. If I looked different and my name sounded differently, I would be more likely to feel singled out. I might even feel violated.
But people have been undergoing SSSS for over 20 years, and I realized I’ve been a bit insulated from how truly invasive airport security measures could be.
In the world of airport security, it’s hard to argue all passengers are treated equally.
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This post was previously published on Publishous.
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