New procedure sensitive to Sikh turban and other religious head coverings

Washington, DC - Oct 16, 2007 (PRN): This afternoon the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced a new security screening policy that will go into effect at U.S. airports on October 27 and apply to all religious head coverings. The change is a direct result of collaboration between TSA, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials, the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF) and other Sikh organizations in response to the concerns of the Sikh American community over a procedure implemented on August 4, 2007.

The August 2007 procedure disproportionately targeted Sikhs for secondary screening due to their turban, an article of faith, like the Jewish kippah (yarmulke) and Muslim hijab. The turban is an integral part of the Sikh faith and identity, and removal of the turban in public is akin to a strip search. The procedure resulted in Sikh travelers being forced to undergo an invasive pat-down or removal of the turban.

The turban was the only religious article listed as potentially requiring additional screening. Furthermore, the procedure may have resulted in a misallocation of national security resources due to the heightened focus on Sikh passengers solely because of their religious practice of wearing a turban.

"The new policy is encouraging and addresses most of the concerns of the Sikh American community," said Kavneet Singh, SALDEF's Managing Director. "Our collaboration with TSA has resulted in a solution that strengthens TSA's ability to protect our nation's airports, while also respecting the civil liberties of all travelers of faith. We will continue to work closely with TSA to ensure that the implementation of the new procedure does not result in the inappropriate profiling of Sikhs and other travelers of faith."

Under the new procedure, a Sikh traveler's turban will be accommodated during the screening process by providing additional options to satisfy the security requirements. According to TSA, the revised procedure states:

"TSA will now include the screening procedures for headwear within the overall category of bulky clothing and will not call it out as a separate category. Removal of all headwear is recommended but the rules accommodate those with religious, medical, or other reasons for whom removing items is not comfortable. Transportation security officers have several options for screening passengers who choose not to remove bulky clothing, including headwear."

Additionally, all 43,000 TSA screeners will undergo Sikh cultural awareness training before the Thanksgiving holiday travel season. The trainings will include two tools developed by SALDEF in collaboration with the US Department of Justice:

1. A training video: On Common Ground: Sikh American Cultural Awareness Training for Law Enforcement [watch video]; and
2. A poster called, Common Sikh American Head Coverings [view poster], that TSA is distributing to all 450 airports across the country.

SALDEF thanks TSA Administrator Kip Hawley for his leadership along with officials at TSA and DHS for their collaborative efforts in finding a solution that balances both national security and protects the rights of all travelers going through America's airports.

About SALDEF:
Founded in 1996, SALDEF is the nations oldest and largest Sikh American civil rights organization. SALDEF protects and promotes the civil rights of Sikh Americans through legal aid, advocacy and educational outreach. SALDEF's mission is to create a fostering environment in the United States for future generations of Sikh Americans. Sikhism is a distinct religious faith that is over five hundred years old. There are approximately half a million Sikhs living in the United States.

For more information, contact:

Navdeep Singh
Tel: 202-393-2700 ext. 27
Email: media@saldef.org
Website: http://www.saldef.org

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Washington, Oct 17 - Sikh air passengers will no longer have to remove their turbans at US screening checkpoints if doing so makes them uncomfortable under new guidelines coming into force Oct 27. The new Transportation Security Administration (TSA) guidelines announced Tuesday give airport screeners the option to pat down headwear at the metal detector if a passenger does not want to remove it for personal reasons. Experts say mixing up the screening techniques is good security. 'We must use security measures that are unpredictable, agile,' TSA Administrator Kip Hawley told a Senate panel Tuesday. New York based Sikh Coalition, a leading US Sikh civil rights organisation, welcomed the change because it both protects national security and is respectful of religious pluralism. But it also asked the TSA to create safeguards that provide better protection against religious profiling. Under the new policy, a Sikh, or any person wearing religious headwear can pat down his or her own head covering, and then have their hands swabbed with a cotton cloth to check for chemical residue. The new policy is a direct response to Sikh concerns, raised after the TSA in August listed 'bulky' headwear such as cowboy hats, berets or turbans should be patted down. The TSA has now removed turbans from its screener guidance. In addition, the TSA will provide all its field employees with mandatory cultural awareness training about Sikh practices. The Sikh Coalition said it nevertheless remains concerned that screeners have sole discretion to decide when to perform additional screening. Screeners may pull aside passengers for additional screening if they believe the person's head covering to be 'bulky'. 'While the TSA has assured us that trainings and supervisor oversight will stem improper use of this discretion, the Sikh Coalition is unconvinced that this is the best solution,' It said. Asking TSA to collect data with regards to additional screenings in US airports to ensure that screeners are not profiling, the coalition said it was also concerned that Sikh travellers have to assert that they do not want their turbans touched by a screening officer. 'As we understand it, the TSA is not requiring screeners to inform passengers that they have a right to conduct a self-pat-down, although this is the stated policy. 'We are encouraged that the TSA has found a solution that does not single out turbans for additional screening. Indeed, it is possible to secure America's safety and be true to the principles of religious freedom,' said Amardeep Singh, executive director of the Sikh Coalition.

http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/125551.html