"Random and Everywhere"
 

I flew home through MDW this week and had an odd experience before Security. My connecting flight through MDW was canceled and I was forced to get a hotel and come back the next day. After dealing with getting my new ticket I went downstairs to go through Security and to the gates. I had at least a few hours due to all of the delays so I was in NO rush. As i was coming down the escaltor I noticed a few TSA people standing before the ropes begin and then one guy off to the side with a swab scanning machine just waiting for some business. I, of course, was chosen to have my hands swabbed.

They asked me if I was a traveler that day and then informed me that I needed to go over there to the man to have my hands swabbed. When I walked over I asked him why they were doing this and then he mentioned the V word, voluntary. "Oh, if this is voluntary then I am just going to go through the main security line, bye." That didn't work. He told me to wait and called over a supervisor (3 stripes). I proceeded to ask him what they were doing and why they were doing it. Thats when he started the mantra - "Random and Everywhere". I asked him if I could just go through the main line and they could do whatever procedure they needed to do there - NO. I asked whether doing this here and now would mean I wouldn't have to do this again in the main line - NO. While I was asking questions he threatened to call over police a number of times.

After hearing "Random and Everywhere" a few times I decided to dig a little. If I was upstairs getting a ticket, could you swab me there - R&E. If I was outside on the curb - R&E. How about in my car - R&E. He then went on to say that as soon as I step onto airport property I was subject to this. I didn't go too far down this path since it was clear that he didn't really care about getting into a discussion of rights and the Constitution. I eventually let them swab me and went on my way, but this R&E thing is going to have to be challenged at some point. They can't "randomly" search people for no reason whatsoever after they identify themselves as "travelers".

Yes they can. Who's going to stop them? They don't have to wait for you to identify yourself as a traveler. Your presence is a place that is related to or supports transportation is sufficient. You can expect a roll-out of R&E everywhere to protect us from the Moscow-type incident. Don't expect too many people to wise up. It's anything for safety. Next stop, shopping malls and schools.

We are the TSA. Lower your shields and surrender your dignity. We will add your biological imagery and privacy information to our own. Your human rights will adapt as needed to service us. Resistance is futile.

I think they can. They're doing it, aren't they?

This is really depressing. I loved this country. Now I'm a stranger in a strange land.

How many hands have they "swabbed" by now?

How many terrorists have they apprehended?

How can this possibly be legal?

Based on your experience, it sounds like the correct answer to this question in the future is "none of your business." Seriously. It is none of their business if you are a departing traveler unless you are at the checkpoint. The non-airside is a public place where you can meet passengers, conduct business meetings, or just hang out. Even airside, you could be an arriving traveler, and you cannot be forced to consent to screening to exit the airport.


These people are completely out of control. Hindsight is always 20/20, but I wonder what they would have done if you had said "I don't consent and I'm leaving the airport," hopped into a taxi, and then paid the cabbie a nice tip to make a loop around the airport and drop you back off at the terminal?

I find that using my cellphone camera very quickly causes errant screeners to find someone else. I agree with other replies, "no I don't voluntarily submit to a search" along with the cellphone camera recording will work out to your favor. Screeners do not like to be photographed (even less so video-taped) when they are out-of-bounds in the first place. The reason they feel they "can" is because you allowed them to.

The premise of the airport police having probable cause to search because you did not volunteer for the search is ridiculous. Administrative search starts at the checkpoint, not when you leave your hotel room.

Were you required to show ID?

No, and I kept waiting for him to ask me for that which is when I would have refused and asked for the police. He asked me a number of times if I was a "traveler", but did not ask to see my BP. very odd stuff

My bet is this "Random & Everywhere" exercise is DHS/TSA being proactive for once. Their justification is in response to the suicide bomber in Russia, checking everyone regardless...

Of course the reality is they're not really proactive since the event that triggered R&E has already occurred, thus they're being reactive...yet again.

What are they going to do if a swab outside the checkpoint comes up positive? Drag you off to a private room for a "resolution" pat down?

Thanks. So far it's just "hands please" rather than "papers please." :rolleyes: Your odd shows a lot of restraint in light of your experience and the whole "Random and Everywhere" slogan. I'd suggest chilling or creepy.

Mom told me to always wash my hands before leaving the house but she wouldn't have approved or even believed this reason for doing so. Nor do I. :td:

Now what happens when someone who was securing his firearms for travel gets his hands swabbed like this???

No matter how clean your weapons are, there is still gunpowder residue. If you were checking your firearms, doing what the airlines want, etc etc, then get your hands swabbed, you're gonna come up positive.

Then what? The 9th degree from a TSO who is 2 steps removed from a Wal-Mart greeter causing a terminal dump?

Just plain stupid.

Right. Yet another example of the TSA's total inability to grasp the implications of an idea. Dumb clowns.

What happens in those states where carrying a weapon (concealed or otherwise) in public is allowed.

Are we going to see the TSA alert when some person packing is wandering into baggage claim to pick up a family member?

So if you said, no, not a traveler, just going to starbucks, I wonder what the response would be...

"not now, I'm waiting for a cell phone text message"....
but I imagine they're too stupid to know what that meant...too busy swabbing kiddie strollers...

Random and Everywhere. Great. extend the security checkpoint experience to EVERYONE. This actually helps the cause...

So this is what living in a 3rd world dictatorship feels like.

If you are going somewhere, you are traveling. If you are away from home, you are a traveler.

The "Random & Everywhere" BS would include anyone leaving his/her home.