South Asian Organizations Express Concerns About New Airport Security Screening Standards

Organizations that work closely with Muslim, Sikh, and South Asian communities, express serious concerns regarding the new screening standards announced by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). We believe that these standards, made effective on January 4, will lead to the racial and religious profiling of airline passengers from certain countries and religious faiths.

According to information currently known about the new standards, all passengers traveling to the United States from 14 countries will be subject to heightened security screenings, including full-body pat-downs and luggage searches. These countries include Afghanistan, Algeria, Cuba, Iraq, Iran, Lebanon, Libya, Nigeria, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen.

The new standards will undoubtedly lead to the targeting of passengers from Muslim-majority countries. Rather than developing more effective policies that focus on behavior, the new standards categorically target individuals for additional scrutiny based upon ethnicity, religion, and country of origin. Moreover, the measures promote existing misperceptions about these communities as threats to security and harm the U.S. government’s reputation, both domestically and abroad, towards ensuring civil rights and equality. These standards continue a pattern of profiling that our communities have endured since September 11, 2001.

In developing and implementing policies aimed at protecting the country’s safety, we urge TSA, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Administration not to rely upon profiling tactics.

Organizations endorsing this statement include Chhaya CDC, Coney Island Avenue Project, Maitri, Shakti Peer Group, The Sikh Coalition, South Asian Americans Leading Together (SAALT), South Asian Network, UNITED SIKHS.

SAALT is continuing to advocate with government agencies to ensure the elimination of profiling in national security measures. If you would like to learn more about profiling affecting the South Asian community or your organization is interested in joining the statement, please email Priya Murthy, SAALT’s Policy Director, at priya@saalt.org.