Tsa what do officers see

He adds that "Behavior Detection Officers BDOs are trained to identify behavior cues that have been shown … to be reliable indicators and predictors of anomalous or suspicious behavior. Sasson disagrees, saying that "The TSA officers don't know the tell-tale signs.

They may look at carry-ons but not at every person. In Israel, the security people know to watch your eyes and your perspiration level. In , This past summer, with a record number of passengers flying, That said, even the TSA knows that the name of the game is to game the system.

They could leave their shoes, light outerwear, and a belt on while keeping their laptop in its case and their compliant liquids and gels in a carry-on bag. The idea was that these pre-cleared passengers would move quicker through Pre-Check lanes than standard security lanes. Well, they have, but with a wrinkle.

That means many more travelers are being funneled into these lanes, much to the displeasure of frequent travelers who have paid for the privilege.

Many of these low-risk travelers don't know that they have been designated for a Pre-Check lane and begin to take off their shoes and take out their laptops, slowing down the line for frequent travelers who are regular TSA Pre-Check users. HSI is part of U. This is true even if there is nothing suspicious about you or your luggage. The government believes this authority to search without individualized suspicion extends to searches of electronic devices such as laptops and cell phones, but that is a contested legal issue.

Officers may not select you for a personal search or secondary inspection based on your religion, race, national origin, gender, ethnicity, or political beliefs. Customs officers have the authority to ask your immigration status in order to determine whether you have the right to enter the country.

If you are a U. If you are a lawful permanent resident LPR who has maintained your status, you only have to answer questions establishing your identity and permanent residency. Refusal to answer other questions will likely cause delay, but officials may not deny you entry into the United States for failure to answer other questions.

Officers may not select you for questioning based on your religion, race, national origin, gender, ethnicity, or political beliefs. If you are told you cannot enter the country and you fear you might be persecuted or tortured if you are sent back to the country from which you traveled, you should tell the customs officer about your fear and ask for asylum.

Religious and political beliefs and associations are protected by the First Amendment. Customs officers have sometimes asked travelers about their religious affiliation, religious practices, association with religious institutions, and political opinions. The travelers targeted for such questioning have often been Muslim.

Questioning individuals about their religious and political beliefs, associations, and practices can infringe upon rights guaranteed by the Constitution and federal law — these rights are not surrendered at the border. If customs officers persist in asking you such questions, you can request to see a supervisor. If you are a non-citizen visa holder or visitor, you may decline to answer general questions about your religious beliefs and political opinions, but doing so may lead to delay or additional questioning, or possibly denial of your entry into the country.

All visitors and lawful permanent residents are fingerprinted on entry into the United States from abroad. Your legal status in the country may inform what you decide to do if you are selected for longer questioning when entering the United States. The same is true for lawful permanent residents: you generally cannot be denied entry to the United States, but declining to answer questions may result in delay or further inspection. Refusal by non-citizen visa holders and visitors to answer questions may result in denial of entry.

This goes for citizens, lawful permanent residents, or non-citizen visa holders and visitors. Although CBP takes the position that you are not entitled to an attorney during primary and secondary inspection, we encourage you to have the telephone number of an attorney or legal services organization with you and ask to contact them if you feel your rights are being violated or if you have been detained for an unusually long period.

For anyone attempting to enter the United States, if a customs officer or border agent informs you that you are under arrest, or if it becomes clear that he or she suspects you have committed a crime, you should ask to speak to a lawyer before answering any further questions — and if you wish to exercise your right to remain silent, you should say so out loud.

Customs officers have sometimes asked travelers to provide their laptop passwords or unlock their mobile phones when they are entering or leaving the United States. The same should be true for those who have previously been admitted to the U. Visa holders and tourists from visa waiver countries, however, run the risk of being denied entry if they refuse to provide a password, and they should consider that risk before deciding how to proceed. Immigration law is very com- plicated, and you could have a problem without realizing it.

A lawyer can help protect your rights, advise you, and help you avoid a problem. Always remember that even if you have answered some questions, you can still decide you do not want to answer any more questions.

However, even if you are a nonimmigrant, you can still say that you would like to have your lawyer with you before you answer questions, and you have the right to stay silent if your answer to a question could be used against you in a criminal case. A: The law requires non-citizens who are 18 or older and who have been issued valid U. The type you need to carry depends on your immigration sta- tus. Failure to comply carry these documents can be a misdemeanor crime. If you have your valid U.

Keep a copy of your documents in a safe place and apply for a replacement immediately if you lose your documents or if they are going to expire. If you are arrested because you do not have your U. If you are undocumented and therefore do not have valid U. If you tell an immigra- tion officer that you are not a U. A: If your workplace is raided, it may not be clear to you whether you are free to leave. Either way, you have the right to remain silent—you do not have to answer questions about your citizenship, immigration status or anything else.

If you do answer questions and you say that you are not a U. If you try to run away, the immigration officers will assume that you are in the U. The safer course is to continue with your work or calmly ask if you may leave, and to not answer any questions you do not want to answer.

A: If you have children with you when you are arrested, ask the officers if you can call a family member or friend to come take care of them before the officers take you away. If you are arrested when your children are at school or elsewhere, call a friend or family member as soon as possible so that a responsible adult will be able to take care of them.

A: Assert your rights. Non-citizens have rights that are important for their immigration cases. You do not have to answer questions. You can tell the officer you want to speak with a lawyer.

You do not have to sign anything giving up your rights, and should never sign anything without reading, understanding and knowing the consequences of signing it. If you do sign a waiver, immigration agents could try to deport you before you see a lawyer or a judge.

The immigration laws are hard to under- stand. There may be options for you that the immigration officers will not explain to you. You should talk to a lawyer before signing anything or making a decision about your situation.

If possible, carry with you the name and telephone number of a lawyer who will take your calls. You have the right to call a lawyer or your family if you are detained, and you have the right to be visited by a lawyer in detention.

You have the right to have your attorney with you at any hearing before an immigration judge. You do not have the right to a government- appointed attorney for immigration proceedings, but immigration officials must give you a list of free or low-cost legal service providers. You have the right to hire your own immigration attorney. In most cases only an immigration judge can order you deported. There are some reasons why a person might not have a right to see an immigration judge, but even if you are told that this is your situation, you should speak with a lawyer immediately—immigration officers do not always know or tell you about exceptions that may apply to you; and you could have a right that you do not know about.

Also, it is very important that you tell the officer and contact a lawyer immediately if you fear persecution or torture in your home country—you have additional rights if you have this fear, and you may be able to win the right to stay here. A: In many cases, you will be detained, but most people are eligible to be released on bond or other reporting conditions.

If you are denied release after you are arrested for an immigra- tion violation, ask for a bond hearing before an immigration judge. In many cases, an immigration judge can order that you be released or that your bond be lowered.

Non-citizens arrested in the U. Law enforcement must let your con- sulate visit or speak with you if consular officials decide to do so. Your consulate might help you find a lawyer or offer other help. A: If you are deported, you could lose your eligibility for certain immigration benefits, and you could be barred from returning to the U. The same is true if you do not go to your hearing and the immigration judge rules against you in your absence.

You should always talk to an immigration lawyer before you decide to give up your right to a hearing. A: Always try to talk to a lawyer before contacting immigration officials, even on the phone. A: Criminal convictions can make you deportable. You should always speak with your lawyer about the effect that a conviction or plea could have on your immigration status. Do not agree to a plea bargain without understanding if it could make you deportable or ineligible for relief or for citizenship.

REMEMBER: It is illegal for law enforcement officers to perform any stops, searches, detentions or removals based solely on your race, national origin, religion, sex or ethnicity.

However, Customs and Border Protection officials can stop you based on citizenship or travel itinerary at the border and search all bags.

A: You may encounter any of the full range of law enforcement officers listed above in Section I. In particular, at airports and at the border you are likely to encounter customs agents, immigration officers, and Transportation and Safety Administration TSA officers. Customs officers have the right to stop, detain and search any person or item. But officers cannot select you for a personal search based on your race, gender, religious or ethnic background.

If you are a non-citizen, you should carry your green card or other valid immigration status documents at all times. At airports, law enforcement officers have the power to determine whether or not you have the right or permission to enter or return to the U. A: If you are a U. If you are a non-citizen, you generally do not have the right to an attorney when you have arrived at an airport or another port of entry and an immigra- tion officer is inspecting you to decide whether or not you will be admitted.

However, you do have the right to an attorney if the questions relate to anything other than your immigration status. You can ask an officer if he or she will allow you to answer extended questioning at a later time, but the request may or may not be granted. If you are not a U. A: This issue is contested right now. Generally, law enforcement officers can search your laptop files and make copies of information contained in the files.

If such a search occurs, you should write down the name, badge number, and agency of the person who conducted the search. You should also file a complaint with that agency. Even if the initial screen of your bags reveals nothing suspicious, the screeners have the authority to conduct a further search of you or your bags. A: You have the right to wear religious head coverings. You should assert your right to wear your religious head covering if asked to remove it.

The current policy which is subject to change relating to airport screeners and requiring removal of religious head coverings, such as a turban or hijab, is that if an alarm goes off when you walk through the metal detector the TSA officer may then use a hand-wand to determine if the alarm is coming from your religious head covering. If the alarm is coming from your religious head covering the TSA officer may want to pat-down or have you remove your religious head covering.

You have the right to request that this pat-down or removal occur in a private area. If no alarm goes off when you go through the metal detector the TSA officer may nonetheless determine that additional screening is required for non-metallic items. Additional screening cannot be required on a discriminatory basis because of race, gender, religion, national origin or ancestry. The TSA officer will ask you if he or she can pat-down your religious head covering. If you do not want the TSA officer to touch your religious head covering you must refuse and say that you would prefer to pat-down your own religious head covering.

You will then be taken aside and a TSA officer will supervise you as you pat-down your religious head covering. After the pat-down the TSA officer will rub your hands with a small cotton cloth and place it in a machine to test for chemical residue. If you pass this chemical residue test, you should be allowed to proceed to your flight. If the TSA officer insists on the removal of your religious head covering you have a right to ask that it be done in a private area.