Got an email this morning from a co-worker, that TSA was doing strange things while checking govt-issued IDs. But that's all his email said.

So, I asked my partner, who is flying out this afternoon, to check into and report back. He said that IDs now have to be taken out of your wallet, plastic holder on your lanyard, passport case, etc. Several times, they used the words that they need to "physically hold" the ID. And, he said that they were using some special light to scan the IDs......is this to make the holograph show up better?

What's doing?

Yup, they're now saying "IDs out of wallets," and using black lights to crack down on what I presume is an epidemic of faked IDs.

It's crucial, because every TSA agent is completely familiar with the watermarking on every possible form of government issued ID from every country and US state, and would immediately recognize a fake when seen under the watermark.

I assume it is to examine the hologram. But what if there isn't one? Do all government IDs have holograms without exception?

Despite not always finding the bombs and weapons, some idiot at the TSA decided that screeners should be deployed to the front of the line to check IDs, hoping to discover falsified drivers licenses, passports and other government IDs.

When you aren't very good at what you do, take on more tasks at which you won't excel.

Do you want to fly today?

They're just trying to make these Workfare recipients look busy, since they aren't providing any security.

Remember that because tewwowists never use valid documents, ID equals security.

Here's the overarching question of the hows and whys implied or asked above that I'd like answered: Are the reasons and justifications for the current review process of pax ID considered SSI?

Again, are the reasons and justifications for the current review process of pax ID considered SSI? If so, then I guess we'll have to live with speculation to the best explanation that we can come up with. If not, then substantive answers to the short list of questions generated thus far in this thread would be appreciated:

• When exactly did the idea of an ID dragnet start to get kicked around at the TSA admin level, and do any of them think this is an efficient use of departmental resources?
  
  
• What is the duration of training for document identification?
  
  
• What is the scope of types of IDs TSO trainees are made familiar with, besides the obvious, i.e. US passports, state/protectorate DLs and non-DL IDs, Fed and state agency employee IDs, Concealed Carry Permits?
  
  Corollary query to the above: Of the world's 245 nations, independent states, inhabited territories and areas of special sovereignty, how many and which types of identifying documents are TSOs presented with during training? Are the same examples presented to TSOs regardless of their working locale, e.g. Anchorage vs. Miami?
  
• Are trainees tested on detection of fake ID? IOW, are they they actually presented with dozens of samples of real and fake IDs in succession and scored on their ability to assess these samples for authenticity? What about validity with respect to the ID holder? (This is an important distinction, which is brought up repeatedly in this forum but never really addressed.)
  
  
• Do all US federal and state government IDs have holograms? What about watermarks? Since not all state IDs have expiration dates, how are those pax treated or not treated differently because of it, and why?

They've been doing the blacklight thing for a while in Des Moines now as they were the pilot airport. IMHO it's a good thing, everytime I've gone through security I've thought the ID check was useless as I could photocopy the ID and put it in the plastic of my wallet. At least now they check something valid.

Spoke to the TSA supervisors at DSM and as you all suspect, no, all drivers licenses don't have holograms. You would be suprised what some ID's do have though, the new MN drivers licenses have your actual picture appear under blacklight. Nice job TSA with the new process, I think it will cut down on the risk, hopefully this won't slow lines down though.

Here are two other threads that have discussed this:

ID's Out of Holders

TSA adding black lights to screen passengers' ID cards

And how will this cut down on the risk when your ID is not even checked against a database?

While I agree this is a complete waste of time, the normal objections to this process (i.e. TSA mission creep, now checking for ID validity, etc) miss the entire point.

The absurdity of this process is that whether or not the ID is fake or not, it is not matched against any watchlist for terrorists. Unless the TSA (and in Denver, they are not TSA but a private company- I just noticed this going through today) has some super secret mini-compact computer hidden in their shoes, when they look at the ID, my mug, and the boarding pass, what does it tell them? NOTHING.

No database check, no matching, no nothing. Outrageous.

if they ask me to take my i/d out of my wallet, i will very politely refuse and then hand them my passport (which f course will mean me putting my wallet back inside my jacket, putting my briefcase down, taking out my travel wallet out of the zippered briefcase compartment, taking the passport out of it's little holding place inside the travel wallet and showing it to the i/d checker [n.b. showing vs the i/d checker holding it]). sorry if you're in line behind me but the only person who gets to see my i/d out of my wallet is a leo or a bank teller.

Risk of what? Joe flying on Frank's ticket? Jane trading boarding passes with Julie so that Jane gets the window seat?

Sorry, but ID does not = security. One doesn't even need an ID to travel within the US, yet they spent big money on this glorified ID checking process.

Growing tired of their crap, I've just started taking my passport everywhere when I travel.

while many people are tired of many things going in the USA (re: security) at the moment, my self included, taking the ID out of the wallet/holder should not be one of them. Mind you the ID check itself is for a nother debate, but no having the ID behind plastic is actually very logical and is, and has been used by many governments, the USA included, for years.

All it takes is a cut out of a photo, placed over the the picture in the plastic to fool certain people, and it can look better than one might think.
Plenty of college students in America used (and some still use) this technique when being "carded" for alcohol. THe same can be used for flying.
I entered the Miami, C Pepper Federal building this morning. I had to have an ID out and ready to show-standard procedure. Enter any US or NATO military base and the ID has to be out (this used to not be the rule)-just a few examples).

Debating the policy is one issue, having the ID out of a holder is another.

Ciao,
FH