TSA Swabbing Hands

General General Discussion
1

I’ve had to pull my creds at the airport when one of my work bags was swabbed and came back with a positive hit. Looks like I may need to do some serious scrubbing if flying home on the last day of a training course…

Washington (CNN) – To the list of instructions you hear at airport checkpoints, add this: “Put your palms forward, please.”

The Transportation Security Administration soon will begin randomly swabbing passengers’ hands at checkpoints and airport gates to test them for traces of explosives.

Previously, screeners swabbed some carry-on luggage and other objects as they searched for the needle in the security haystack – components of terrorist bombs in an endless stream of luggage.

Full Article

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Man you beat me to it! I was just going to post this!

Anyway I got tagged once in Germany for a spent shell casing I had in a carry on. I had made a piece of art out of it, and forgot about it, as I had been traveling in the US and it seemed fine. Yes, I realize this was not very bright, it was one of the more stupid moments of my life. All turned out well.

But I was recently talking with my Dad (he spends 10 months out of the year working abroad) about gun powder residue. Some times he comes home for a weekend, and we will go to the range a day or two before he flies out since we don’t have much time together. Before these last six months I flew about 5 times a year, now it’s down to about 2. With this much flying in the family, we talk about the security laws a lot.

Would these swabs pick up gun powder residue and thus make one’s life a living hell for two or three days dealing with the explanations, missed flights, and dehydration that comes from sitting in a little room??? For example what if your coming from a 3gun comp and your wearing the same jacket you shot in???

3

That’s what I’m wondering as well. Going to try and track down our TSA lno to see if he knows the answer. The one time I got snagged, I had just returned from Iraq and was running around with a bag that I’d used to hold a bunch of flash bangs and assorted crap. That bag had all sorts of residue on and in it, but I hadn’t given any thought to flying with it since we were flying our own bird in and out of country. Didn’t make the mental switch back to commercial air rules and only realized I was flying with a dirty bag when TSA pulled me aside. After trying to explain to the dude, I finally had to pull the responding LEO aside and pull my creds and even then I almost didn’t make that flight. I would think powder is powder though, so unless it’s hitting on a certain amount of powder residue, my guess is a good cleaning might be in order - which we should be doing anyway.

4

And I thought using the new whiz bang x-ray cock watcher machine was gonna solve all of our problems.

The TSA will greatly expand the swabbing in the coming weeks, the agency said.

Stanley said the ACLU is chiefly concerned that the TSA does not discriminate when selecting people for enhanced screening – something the agency said it does not do – and that it treat people with dignity.

“We would not want to see it implemented in a discriminatory fashion, for example, in a disproportionate way against Muslims and Arabs or, for example, people with red hair or anything else. Security experts from across the spectrum will tell you that that’s not just unfair and unjust and not the American way, it’s also a terrible way to do security,” Stanley said.
Who are the terrorists? Typically, Muslims & Arabs, it’s not rocket science. Not the American way? Then why do I check a box with my race on it on a whole slew of government forms?

Because some legal substances – such as fertilizers and heart medicines – can result in “false positives,” Stanley said the ACLU also wants to ensure that people who test positive be treated respectfully.
Old farts and farmers beware.

5

Yea so did I, but we live in an economy of fear, and we have to keep it going some how. How you ask? Buy more cool sh*t for under qualified people to play with while you fly to see Aunt Sally.

6

I come into contact with various explosive materials on work trips…I suppose all of my business travel will be even more fun and exciting now :rolleyes:

ETA: Same goes for my day-to-day work…so I guess if I ever set foot in an airport again I’m going to have a great time.

7

Just wash your hands with soap and water. Any powder residue will come right off. We do this all the time at my work after a day at the range.

8

I agree with you

I don’t know, the Israelis know how to do security. And they profile. What security experts are they talking to?

9

Seems to me this violates the 4th Amendment to the Constitution. Walking through a metal detector is one thing because it’s passive, but actively taking samples seems like a deliberate search.

Thoughts?

10

Hi Guys,

I fly for work constantly. I will see what I can find out. Gun powder residue shouldn’t be a big problem. If the test came back hot for nitro glycerin, your day would suck. I will report back if I can find anything out.

11

What ever happened to getting on a plane and having only to worry about if you have enough time to grab a cinnabon or not. Now I need to worry that if I don’t wash my hand well enough I may find myself in an uncomfortable spot.

I know 9/11 happened, but don’t you fight terrorism by not allowing it to change your way of life and saying f$%^ you to the terrorist and go on about your day. This terrorist shit is just an excuse for lobbyist to sell their goods to the government. And it’s getting to the point of a boy who cried wolf, and eventually it will bite us in the ass.

12

Another day and another win chalked up for terrorism. They’re laughing while we’re self-destructing.

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I don’t think so. It’s more invasive than a bag search but still pretty low on the scale.

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Really?! :confused:

What if they wanted to swab the inside of your mouth? Would you let them? Is that pretty low on the scale too? I think this is a clear-cut invasion of privacy and a blatant breach of the Constitution. I will be writing my congressmen.

It’s bad enough the TSA can randomly open your luggage and rifle through your stuff without you knowing it but this is insane. Are we as Americans really going to let the TSA operate above the law?

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I saw this on the news tonight and wondered the same thing. I would say that it would detect a propellant even if you used a garment that you were wearing on the flight at a range session maybe a few days before!

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Tin Foil Hat: They are actually taking skin swabs for DNA :frowning:

If they are worried about the eunuch-bomber, they are going to have to swab my balls.

Having gun powder residue on my hands makes me no more or a terrorist than if I am a Muslim. Here’s my CCW card, I handle guns and ammo, piss off.

I’d have to say that while I shoot a lot less than I travel, I take over 50 flights a year. It’s not a frequent flier program, it is an infrequently seeing my family program. About half the time I take a gun in checked luggage. I use the same bags from week to week for carry-on and checked with guns and ammo inside. Same shoes and pants at the range during the week that I have worn thru the puffers and swabbed and I have yet to have a problem. I guess it is just a matter of time, and machine sensativity

17

I agree with you, but you know how things can be blown out of proportion. I’m not worried about being arrested or charged with anything, it could just really slow you down at the airport and creat problems until it’s figured out.

18

Work with TSA at local airport and we have tested are hands after shooting with neg. results. Machines are set up to look for different chemical signature.

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I wrote the following to my US Senators:

[i]Dear Senator Burr (also sent to Sen. Hagan)

I was appalled today when I read an article on CNN.com regarding the TSA swabbing peoples’ hands as they went through security at our airports. What happened to the Fourth Amendment? This act of swabbing hands undoubtedly constitutes a search without a warrant.

As you may recall, the Fourth Amendment reads as follows: “The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.” That means the TSA must have probable cause to swab my hands. The ACLU says this is a good idea…apparently they do not care for Civil Liberties in this case. I hope you have other ideas.

I would like to call your attention to Katz v. United States, 389 U.S. 347 (1967); a Supreme Court case which ruled that the Fourth Amendment covered a person’s “reasonable expectation of privacy”. Well Mr. Senator, I do NOT appreciate the Federal Government swabbing any part of my body without my consent, and therefore I believe this action to be, not only illegal, but unconstitutional. I reasonably expect not to be physically and illegally searched.

How long are we as Americans going to allow the TSA to operate above the law under the guise of “National Security”? Was it not a TSA member who allowed the underwear bomber on a plane? As long as this rampant lawlessness is afoot, Americans are not safe. It’s bad enough the TSA can randomly open your luggage and rifle through your personal items taking what they wish. How long until we let them become the American version of the secret police?

I ask you, Sir, what are YOU doing to stop this illegal and unconstitutional practice? I shall follow this issue very closely. You have my vote as a Conservative, but now I need you to do something for me as well as for the Constitution. Please make this known in Congress, and I urge you to stop it. There are Constitutional ways of making our skies safe.
[/i]

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I think you should write your senators and congressmen. I wish more people would take these issues seriously.

I do not see this as a violation of your constitutional rights. Don’t fly, walk or drive, it is a personal decision. Nobody is taking anything from you or denying you anything. It’s irritating not a violation of our rights. They are operating within the law. The main reason for the government is to protect the people. The purpose is to keep all of us safe. What would you suggest as a solution? Would you rather they not search our bags for weapons? I tell the folks I work with its okay to complain, but for every gripe I want to hear a suggestion to fix the issue. What’s the solution?

There is a huge difference between my hands and my mouth. If they have good reason to search my mouth they can do it. They can conduct strip searches and cavity searches too, with good reason. They are not sitting around trying to be a PITA, which is often the result especially with the government. They are trying to keep us safe; I think they’ve done a good job.

It’s a PITA to take your shoes and belt off. I bought a belt with a plastic buckle and slip on shoes for my next trip in April. Last time I flew with my family it took forever to get through security, two kids, a car seat, stroller, baby bag. In April it will be three kids! I used to like to carry on enough gear to get by if they lost my bags, I am going to still carry on but it will be less. I will do without my laptop; it’s just not worth it to me. I was stressed out over the whole deal, crying kids, grumpy passengers and grumpy TSA screeners. I do not fly much I noticed the folks who do are pretty used to the whole deal and they cruise right through.

I will also not be using my black “Blackhawk” 3 day pack as a carry on, it screams tactical, TSA swabbed the heck out of it last spring. It came up clean, it was brand new. If it showed a trace of gunpowder I’d expect them to investigate, that is their job. :smiley: Again it would be a PITA but the word has changed. We need to focus our anger on the terrorists not TSA.