Originally Posted by
sba110
Now your rights people. The TSA has no power of detention. If you just leave the box, all they can do is call the police. They cannot touch you.
Functionally, you don't have very few 'rights', and they are dependent on the whim of TSA and the police.
Example: Phil Mocek.
TSA supposedly has no power of detention, but if you are surrounded or blocked physically by TSOs in your path, you have no options. If you come in physical contact with a TSO trying to block your path, you will almost certainly immediately be arrested for assault.
Ron Paul was directed to stand in a clear glass/plastic cage by TSA; so was Stacy Armato. Both were clearly 'detained' in any reasonable sense of the word. Senator Paul did use the word 'detained' - and I might point out, even being a US Senator did not prevent his 'detention' or lead to any change in TSA's policies.
Many airport police take directions from TSOs or even escalate TSO-initiated confrontations, and the police most certainly can detain you. Some take direction from TSOs because they can't be bothered to think for themselves, some delight in escalating situations, probably out of boredom. I'm sure that most police departments don't assign their 'best and brightest' to airport duty.