New York Times: The Transportation Security Administration expanded its screening of passengers before they even arrive at the airport. They search government and private databases including car registrations and employment info.
New York Times: The Transportation Security Administration expanded its screening of passengers before they even arrive at the airport. They search government and private databases including car registrations and employment info.
While the agency says that the goal is to streamline the security procedures for millions of passengers who pose no risk, the new measures give the government greater authority to use travelers’ data for domestic airport screenings. Previously that level of scrutiny applied only to individuals entering the United States.
The measures go beyond the background check the government has conducted for years, called Secure Flight, in which a passenger’s name, gender and date of birth are compared with terrorist watch lists. Now, the search includes using a traveler’s passport number, which is already used to screen people at the border, and other identifiers to access a system of databases maintained by the Department of Homeland Security.
