Will FOAM shoe inserts be allowed?
 

Ok, so my son is 12 years old and he has some issues with his foot not having an arch when he was born. The doctor basically recommend some shoe inserts. So for the past 6 years he's been wearing them. I recently purchased a pair of shoe inserts that are memory foam, not gel to conform to the rules. Will the TSA allow my son to wear these?

Short answer yes. They may hassle you, however it's a medical device. They really shouldn't even be searching you. It's the novel thing called the fourth amendment.

Are you asking if he will have to remove his shoes with the inserts to pass through security or will the shoes be stopped going through the x-ray because of the inserts?

Because of the medical issue, he MIGHT be able to keep his shoes on but without written medical advice, probably not. I know that is not policy but you should plan for reality and the reality is that many screeners do not follow the policy consistently. But as for passing the shoes through the x-ray machine with foam inserts, no problem. I do it every time I pass through security. All my shoes have such inserts.

You shouldn't have any issues with those type of inserts. :)

Google "administrative search".....

Which has a narrow scope but TSA keeps going beyond that as evidenced by the court cases that have been stated here to many times (Fofina, beirfeldr, etc)

See Frank V. Maryland I don't think the TSA would pass that test.

Oh, sorry, I didn't make myself clear. He can walk with out them for the short time period he has to go through security, he just can't go long distance without them.

Courts have consistently upheld the constitutionality of searches for the purpose of aviation security.

See:
United States v. Aukai
United States v. Hartwell
United States v. Davis
etc., etc., etc.

Within a limited scope. TSA goes beyond that.

Hmmm... might be a problem. I don't think most TSA personnel know the difference between an "M" and an "N".

Just tell TSA that for medical reasons your son cannot remove his shoes. Do not give them any explanations if they ask nor offer them any.

He will be taken aside and his shoes swabbed for any explosive residue.

Hopefully, you will NOT get a pi**y screener who will also decide that he needs to be patted down or that all of your luggage needs to be gone through.

I'm sure goalie, our resident expert on dealing with the TSA and shoe removal, will be along shortly to share his knowledge with you.

P.S. Why would you purchase inserts to conform to TSA rules rather than the best inserts for your son's foot health? Not a criticism as I guess I can understand people wanting to make transit of a checkpoint as painless as possible, but I can't understand perhaps sacrificing one's well-being due to concerns with the TSA and their dumb rules.

I have these in my shoes when they go through the Xray. Never had anything said to me.

I have worn similar inserts in my shoes for years for the same reason--flat feet--and have never had a problem.

Hence the "for the purpose of aviation security." Or, are you saying the standard TSA screening goes beyond that?

All the time. e.g. when a TSA employee flipped through a thin folder of loose sheets of paper that was in my bag. What was he looking for? Dangerous propaganda?