IndiaPost.com - New US policy on screening Sikh turbans

WASHINGTON: In a major relief for American Sikh community, the US Transportation Security Administration last week announced a new security screening policy that will be put into effect at US airports starting October 27 and apply to all religious head coverings.

Under the new procedure, a Sikh traveler will not be asked to remove his turban but during the screening process there would be additional options to satisfy the security requirements.

"The new policy is encouraging and addresses most of the concerns of the Sikh American community," said Kavneet Singh, president of Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF).

He attributed the success to the collective effort of various Sikh organizations and said 43,000 TSA screeners will also undergo Sikh cultural awareness training before the Thanksgiving holiday travel season.

According to the revised procedures, TSA will include the screening procedures for headgear within the overall category of bulky clothing and will not call it out as a separate category. Removal of all headgear is recommended but the rules accommodate those with religious, medical, or other specific reasons that make removing the items uncomfortable.

Transportation security officers have several options for screening passengers who choose not to remove bulky clothing, including headgear. Since August 2007, Sikh American community had through various organizations been highlighting its concerns over the new TSA policy that allowed turban pat downs for security reasons.

Sikhs protested that the turban was an integral part of their faith and identity and its removal in public was like a strip-search. Kavneet Singh attributed the success to the collective effort of various Sikh organizations and said 43,000 TSA screeners will also undergo Sikh cultural awareness training before the Thanksgiving holiday travel season.

Nevertheless, he said, there are some pressing concerns about the implementation of the new procedures. To ensure national security, screeners have been given discretion on when to perform the additional screening. Some screeners could use this discretion in an inappropriate manner and single out or harass travelers of a certain national origin or religion.

“Sikh civil rights groups remain concerned that the new procedure could lead to religious profiling of our community. We will continue to press the TSA to collect data that demonstrates that the new procedure does not disproportionately affect any specific national origin or religious groups.

”In addition, even if Sikhs are not subject to disproportionate scrutiny, we are concerned about the negative perception created when a Sikh is pulled aside for additional screening.

With the three options, a passenger can request the most comfortable screening method for himself/herself. We will continue to work with the TSA to minimize the humiliation that some Sikh travelers could feel when their turbans are screened.

”We are also concerned that, because the screening options are not being mentioned early in the additional screening process, many Sikhs may feel pressure to submit to a screener pat down even though they have a right to refuse it and pat down their turban themselves.

We strongly believe that screeners should offer the option of a self-pat down at the beginning of the additional screening process.

He said, “While our organizations also welcome the options for secondary screening, we recognize that the ideal solution is for the TSA to install "puffer" machines or other detection technology at all airports.

This would help avoid the need for additional screening that involves the handling of religious head coverings like the Sikh turban. We will continue to press the TSA to install "puffer" machines and other detection technology in all airports.”