Do you support this wasteful nonsense? Given that 'your' group only covers roughly 5% of domestic flights, and the name of the group is 'Federal AIR Marshall", where do you think your team should be working - on an airplane or bus?

Doesn't the "border" also include the coast and all "international" airports?

You'd be hard pressed to find a place in the US where you are not subject to arbitrary search & detention by the Border Patrol.

Sorta, but not exactly. The USBP can set up random checkpoints within 100 miles.

I didn't read it that way. I read it as he was correcting the incorrect impression that Posse Comitatus prohibits FLEOs from enforcing federal or local law. It does not.

Ok thanks. But what about the guys on the 4-wheelers and trucks running near the border not the checkpoints?

Well, first off, I'm not a FAM. I work elsewhere in federal law enforcement. But, to answer your question...I'm not entirely sure, to be honest.

I would have no problem with TSA or the FAM's supporting the local police in their efforts or perhaps providing intelligence or training. I'm not sure I see the federal interest here. At least with aviation you have an interstate component. Here, there presumably is none.

I believe reasonable suspicion is required, just like for any Terry stop. Except in this case, it's only reasonable suspicion of alienage.

What is the first word in TSA? TRANSPORTAION! TSA can do this in any form of public transportation to include trains, subways, bus stations, ferries and aircraft.

Correct.

They can try - once I'm on the train, subway, bus or ferry, I can (and will) tell them to buzz off if they want to search me or check my ID.

They only have the upper hand at the airport checkpoint.

When they get the aviation part down pat (fat chance), then we can have a look at where else their *cough* expertise might add value. Right now, their core mission is in shambles, and doing PR runs to the local trolly stop to arrest illegal immigrants isn't helping their PR, nor their focus. Unless you're a member of Club 20, this VIPR nonsense should be infuriating.

Which is well within your rights. I have been assigned to work this program before, but not in the location that this thread is about. So I cannot speak to anything that went on there.

However, while conducting these types of operations I (and my partners) had to have the same kind of reasonable suspicion and/or probable cause to conduct our business. If we wish to speak to someone without the above mentioned items it is as any citizen speaking with another, they are free to leave at any time, and effectively tell us to "buzz off" as you put it.

My personal opinion is that we should be doing more work in the transportation environment away from the airport. When I say transportation, I don't mean just "passenger" carrying transportation. As has been discussed many times on FT, there is a need for more investigative/enforcement/inspection work needed on cargo, shipping, our ports and the like.

As far as the TSA non LEO personnel go, maybe your right. The FAMs are fully trained FLEO's. There has been much said about the lack of sufficient numbers of trained LEO's to conduct enforcement, investigation, and inspection of our transportation system (as well as our borders and a myriad of other areas).

As I related above; air cargo, shipping and our ports could all use a more robust LEO workforce as well as targeted enforcement.

On the plus side for most flyertalkers (given past rhetoric) if a FAM is out working the "streets", he or she is not taking your coveted upgrade!

The Port of Houston, the largest foreign port in the USA in terms of tonnage, and one of the largest US container port complexes with the Port of Galveston along the Houston Ship channel, cannot get enough inspectors to check the cargo fast enough. It is surrounded by roughly 40% of the US refining capacity within less than 100 miles, not to mention the strategic petroleum reserve, all hooked into the ship channel, but...

...They can't find enough screeners for that, however we have tourist trolleys in San Diego covered...I feel safer already. And that is just one example.

(not a hit on San Diego my favourite Cali town BTW)

Ciao,
FH

I don't have a problem with this approach - but we're talking about TSA screeners being sent away from the airport to wreck their special kind of havoc on unsuspecting commuters.

It's occurring while this very same group is unable to master their basic mission - checking bags for explosives, components and firearms. It's also occurring while the traveling public stands in endless lines - lines which could be shortened if sufficient screeners were on site doing their jobs.

It also 'mentally' empowers some of these screeners to think they are law enforcement - which is neither true, nor appropriate.

Worst of all - the only benefit of these 'raids' is the arrest of people on warrants, or immigration charges. Not a single threatening person or terrorist has been found. You could conduct this raid inside Walmart and get the same result. The TSA simply sees this as yet another PR spin opportunity, which ratchets up the gross factor even more.

Where in the Constitution, or its ratified Amendments, does it permit a federal agency to inspect a component of the transportation sector that does not have an interstate commerce aspect?