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(Washington, DC) August 22, 2007 – The Transportation Security Administration (“TSA”) released a statement on new airport screening procedures that authorize Sikh turban pat downs. TSA officials also told the Sikh Coalition today in Washington D.C. that it specifically included the turban as an example of a type of headwear that could potentially hide non-metallic threat items in a Guidance issued to 43,000 TSA screeners nationwide. The TSA did not provide the Sikh Coalition with a copy of the new screening procedure or the published Guidance on how to implement it.

 

The Coalition first brought this issue to the attention of the Sikh traveling public this past Sunday.  The Sikh Coalition continues to be alarmed that these procedures were put in place without community consultation or warning to millions of Sikh air travelers.  The Coalition is also concerned that TSA will not provide a copy of the new procedure so that it can be reviewed by the public. 

 

We will continue to work with the federal government and fellow Sikh organizations to ensure that screening procedures keep America safe, while respecting the personal freedoms that are inherent in U.S. law and culture.  

 

The New TSA Headwear Screening Policy

Based on the TSA’s public statement and TSA officials’ comments at today’s meeting in Washington D.C., Sikhs traveling within and into or out of the United States should know the following:

• A guidance to all TSA screeners nationwide on how to implement the new headwear procedure specifically lists the turban (in addition to cowboy hats and straw hats) as an item that can be subjected to secondary screening.  Sikh travelers should therefore expect that turbans will be the subject of secondary screening, regardless of whether a metal detector indicates a metallic object is in the turban.
• The purpose of the secondary screening is to detect non-metallic objects.  Therefore from the TSA’s perspective, it is irrelevant whether a Sikh’s turban sets off the metal detector or not.
• If requested, a private area will be provided for a pat-down search of a turban.
• A private area must be offered if a secondary search / pat-down leads to a request that a turban be removed.
• Despite the fact that the TSA guidance lists turbans as an example of headwear that can be the subject of secondary screening, a TSA screener is not required to conduct secondary screening of a turban.  The screener can use his or her discretion to determine whether he/she believes the turban could conceal a non-metallic threat item.

 

The Sikh Coalition’s Concerns about the New TSA Policy

With the information made available to us, the Sikh Coalition has four principle concerns. 

 

First, the Coalition is concerned that the TSA guidance on how to implement the policy specifically lists the turban as an example of headwear that can be subjected to secondary screening at the discretion of the screener.  We believe that the most precious article of our faith has become part of a government-mandated profile of a person who is a terrorist threat.

 

Second, the Coalition believes that the new procedure and guidance on how to implement them should not be kept secret.  It is critical that the procedures be made public so that the millions of air travelers who are subjected to unwanted touching of their religious headdress may comment on them and understand their rights while traveling through America’s airports. 

 

Third the procedures (given the limited information on them released to the public) are disturbingly vague.  Screeners have personal discretion to subject a Sikh to additional screening, a turban pat-down, or to remove the turban. With 43,000 TSA screeners nationwide, and minimal cultural competency training, the Sikh Coalition is concerned that this will lead to rampant religious profiling.

 

Fourth, the Coalition is concerned that the new procedures were created without consulting any Sikhs or Sikh organizations.  TSA officials admitted at the meeting that TSA did not consult with Sikhs or inspect a turban before they listed the turban as headwear that could contain an explosive device. 

 

Next Steps

The Sikh Coalition, SALDEF, and the United Sikhs were all at today’s meeting in Washington with TSA officials.  Our organizations will jointly respond to what we believe to be an unacceptable and unexpected policy shift by TSA.  It is our hope that TSA will implement a policy that is both respectful of religious pluralism and meets America’s safety needs.