• Listen to this segment

• Listen to the entire program

If “enhanced interrogation techniques” are a euphemism for torture, is it fair to ask if the “enhanced screening” at airports by the Travel and Security Administration is a euphemism for racial profiling. About a year ago the TSA implemented so-called “enhanced screening” procedures for all passengers on international flights traveling to and from, “nations that are state sponsors of terrorism or countries of interest.” At least 14 countries fall within this vague purview with most located in the Middle East. There was little reaction to the new selective guidelines from the general public. However, last Fall TSA was reviled and lampooned after it implemented new enhanced screening measures for domestic airline passengers that included body-image scanners and intrusive pat-downs. The Administration received complaints from travelers, pilots, privacy advocates and travel and tourism industry trade groups. The LA Times reports that to create a more efficient and effective system the TSA is now reportedly weighing the possibility of creating “tiered” screening, in which all passengers are NOT treated equally. A fast-track security level will be created for passengers who undergo a background check and possibly an interview, for a fee estimated to be about $100. Security screening for this group would be minimal. Most domestic travelers would fall into a second track, which would resemble what is in place for everyone today. A third track would identify potentially threatening passengers and re-route them to enhanced screening procedures.

GUEST: Saadia Khan, Civic Outreach Coordinator for the Muslim Public Affairs council

Find out more about MPAC at www.mpac.org.