South Asian bodies worried over new US security procedures
January 7th, 2010 - 11:24 am ICT by IANSWashington, Jan 7 (IANS) Several South Asian organizations have expressed serious concerns regarding the new screening standards for air travellers to US saying these will lead to the racial and religious profiling of passengers from certain countries and religious faiths.
Under the new procedures announced by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) after the Christmas Day terror attack on a US airliner, all passengers travelling to the US from 14 countries are subject to heightened security screenings, including full-body pat-downs and luggage searches.
The countries on the list are Pakistan, Afghanistan, Algeria, Cuba, Iraq, Iran, Lebanon, Libya, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen.
“The new standards will undoubtedly lead to the targeting of passengers from Muslim-majority countries,” the South Asian organisations said in a joint stament. “Rather than developing more effective policies that focus on behaviour, 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 US government’s reputation, both domestically and abroad, towards ensuring civil rights and equality,” they said.
“These standards continue a pattern of profiling that our communities have endured since Sep 11, 2001,” they said urging TSA, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Administration not to rely upon profiling tactics in developing and implementing policies aimed at protecting America’s safety.
Organizations endorsing the statement included Chhaya CDC, Coney Island Avenue Project, Maitri, Shakti Peer Group, The Sikh Coalition, South Asian Americans Leading Together (SAALT), South Asian Network and United Sikhs.
- South Asian groups welcome revocation of 'misguided' travel policy - Apr 03, 2010
- South Asians seek rejection of tough US immigration law - Apr 26, 2012
- US Sikh group leads call for probing racing profiling - Dec 02, 2011
- South Asian Americans seek return to diversity ideals - Sep 16, 2011
- Ten years after 9/11, Indian Americans have come a long way - Sep 10, 2011
- US Sikhs decry turban screening at airports - Nov 07, 2010
- South Asian New Yorkers still confront profiling - Mar 23, 2012
- Full-body scanner row: US denies checking all travellers - Nov 23, 2010
- Fight terror without blame: rights groups on 9/11 anniversary - Sep 01, 2011
- US seeking privacy-security balance over airport security: Robert Gibbs - Nov 23, 2010
- 'Sikhs should expect screening of turbans at US airports' - Jan 14, 2011
- Asian American bodies denounce hearings targeting Muslims - Mar 11, 2011
- Livid American Sikhs liken plans to search turbans at airports to 'racial profiling' - Nov 07, 2010
- Security checks at US airports to get more 'touchy' - Oct 29, 2010
- Muslim-American body issues fatwa against airport body scanners - Feb 12, 2010
Tags: air travellers, asian bodies, chhaya, christmas day, coney island, department of homeland security, island avenue, misperceptions, muslim majority, peer group, religious faiths, safety organizations, sep 11 2001, serious concerns, south asian americans, south asian network, south asian organizations, terror attack, transportation security administration, united sikhs