[QUOTE]
Originally Posted by
MSY-MSP
If you do not do this and your passport is taken by TSA the likelihood of you getting another passport is quite low.
The TSA doesn't "take away" passports.
Now someone at TSA may be able to correct me on this, but my understanding of the ID check is that if you present an ID at the checkpoint the checker must take physical possession of the document (i.e. you cannot hold it, nor can you withdraw it after presenting it), inspect it, and then either return it to you (if it passes) or keep it (if it doesn't pass), or ask you for more documents. Further, if they do keep the document, it is my understanding that you do not get to go through as NO ID, but are going to be waiting for LEO et al. to show up and give you the 3rd degree.
Until the black light crap was started, I didn't have a problem if someone hung on to their I.D. as long as I could see what I needed to see. Now, because of the "lights and loupes" we pretty much gotta have 'em in our hands. I would assume that if you tried to withdraw your I.D. while the TSO is looking at it, that would appear suspicious. Chances are that that would result in a LEO call.
If you don't want the TSA to look at your I.D., just tell 'em you don't have one.