Originally Posted by TSORon

I neither make the laws nor do I enforce them. As a good citizen it is my responsibility to notify the authorities when I suspect that someone is violating the law, and as a TSO I am required to do so. That is not enforcing the law, it is only making notification to someone who does.

I really tried not to step in and reply to your comments but just as I don't like to watch Fox News, in order to have a well-rounded view of the issue I believe it is good to see different sides and learn from them. You are teaching me quite a bit btw.


The OP also stated that he/she advised the TSO that they were traveling overseas. Hence the reason for the additional questions. Don’t want to answer those kinds of questions? Then don’t!

I didn't have the choice if I was going to catch my plan


Which is something that ICE can verify. Which is why ICE would be called.

But ICE did not talk with ME. They talked with the TSA supervisor who was the one causing all of the problems.


That’s because you choose not to see the indication. It’s quite clear, unless one does not want to see it.

You are only perpetuating an environment of fear which is not what travel is supposed to be about albeit the root word of travel is actually to travail and I can verify from personal accounts this is what is turning into physically and mentally.


Yes. (for further information you will need to do some studying on explosive compounds)


The problem is deciding on which time this is. The OP made several inaccurate or misleading statements that needed to be cleared up. I made the choice to do so. Some here just can’t bring themselves to believe the facts, and some prefer to ignore them. I do neither.

Facts are objective not subjective.


Toward what point? If indeed you are as you say "an idiot" then the information would be beyond your ability to comprehend, and if not then by making the comment you have you have shown that you honestly have no interest in the facts. Why waste both of our time?



And I for one appreciate that. It’s rare here, and I thank you for it.



Assuming that your opinion is correct it sounds like you would be the perfect candidate.



They may have, we have only half the story here. Only the part that the OP wishes to tell us.

Pardon? You can look up case number xxxx (sorry I had it there at first but then edited it as per your posts I am not quite comfortable with it being given to you thus I made the choice to remove it) with the TSA. They already have all of my other information and I am being very transparent about all of this. Do you really think I would be going to the mayor, my congressman, the tsa, the Port Control of Hopkins Airport, etc. if I didn't stick with the facts? As a trained PhD. I have learned to stick with the facts and while emotions do play a part in discourse such as this, I have learned to step away from the emotional side (although you have tested my resolve in this area : )

I wouldn’t know, I have never met one. Have you?

Suicide bombers typically have “handlers” who also have the ability to detonate the bomb remotely, just in case the individual gets cold feet. Its common practice in Israel.



And here is the funny part, no one else can either. So, when you can invent a way for us to be able to tell the difference between “ma and pa kettle” and a terrorist we can begin ignoring “ma and pa kettle” and concentrate on those who matter. How is the inventing going anyway?


So, you knew that it was going to detect your belt and you kept it on anyway. Hmmm, just where is the point of contention?

No I did not know it was going to detect my belt because I have never had that problem in the over 80 countries I have gone in and out of in my travel career.


We call it “procedure”. More than that I am not allowed to say, but I’m sure with a bit of effort you can figure it out.


Read it and understood it quite well. You volunteered the information of your other flights, which of course led to the additional questions. Again I ask “where is the point of contention”?

I did not volunteer anything. I was being stopped from boarding my flight.


Like I said earlier in this post to another individual, we only have your half of the story. It sounds like they did contact ICE, as required. ICE made a different choice than expected, not something that is under the control of the TSA.



They can ask whatever they like, the thing is that you are not required to answer.

so miranda rights? when are those supposed to be given or does that not pertain to TSA? maybe the public should be told our rights regarding questioning before the questioning begins and the demanding of papers.


Your area of expertise is travel, mine is security. I do not have a PhD, but one is not needed to know that the folks you dealt with at the checkpoint did their jobs. As for the claim of “unsupported rhetoric”, well yours is an opinion, mine is an informed opinion.

We are obviously of two worlds and unfortunately I have had to step into yours for awhile. I guess your right there, my "öpinion" is uninformed.


Depends on their direction of travel. TSO’s are not law enforcement officers, we have no authority to detain the individual no matter which direction he or she goes. What we can do is if necessary, is follow the individual and contact a LEO.

And the traveling public knows this how??

If you had said that to the TSO or STSO that would have ended the conversation and you would have been on your way. Sounds to me like you caused your own problem.


We both know better than that. Why the rhetoric?



Well, you have tried. Succeeding is a long way off yet.



Never been to PHX personally, so I wouldn’t know. How much you want to bet that the TSO’s at PHX know this?



Yes, and? We have had that discussion here before.



Hmmm, if you get on a direct flight to LHR from PHX how much you wanna bet that you will be leaving US airspace before touching the ground again? How difficult do you suppose it will be to find an ICE agent while on that flight, or a mail box from which to mail your form? Come one, connect the dots, its not that hard.