Transportation Security Administration (TSA) screeners have gained the upper glove when it comes to being sued by travelers subjected to assaults, false arrests or other abuses, thanks to a Wednesday ruling by a federal appeals court.
In a 2-1 decision, the 3rd US Circuit Court of Appeals in Philadelphia ruled that TSA screeners are not “investigative or law enforcement officers,” which shields them from liability under the Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA).
While the judges said they were “sympathetic” to concerns that their decision would leave victims of TSA gropings with “very limited legal redress,” the panel ultimately concluded that screeners and security personnel are not covered by the law.
“For most people, TSA screenings are an unavoidable feature of flying, and they may involve thorough searches of not only the belongings of passengers but also their physical persons — searches that are even more rigorous and intimate for individuals who happen to be selected for physical pat-downs,” wrote Circuit Judge Cheryl Ann Krause in her decision. – READ MORE
[divider][/divider]A prolonged, intrusive search of a 96-year-old woman at Dulles International Airport near Washington, D.C., has prompted outrage from many of the more than 9 million people who have viewed the May 15 video.
The video was posted to Facebook by Jeanne Clarkson of Anderson, Indiana.
The video shows two TSA staffers searching Clarkson’s mother, who was in a wheelchair. With some effort, she removes her jacket as instructed. She is then patted down over all parts of her body. She is told to adjust herself in her wheelchair so TSA agents can check underneath her.
As the video rolls on, several comments can be heard.
“What the hell do you think she’s going to do? Set off a shoe bomb?” Clarkson said.
“This is uncalled for….She’s 96-years-old, she’s not Gumby,” an unidentified man added. – READ MORE
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