Steve Bierfeldt was standing in the security line at Lambert International Airport in St. Louis when he was detained by TSA officials for carrying too much money.
Bierfeldt was put in a room for a half hour and asked a series of questions about the $4,700 in his possession. He says he had raised the money at a St. Louis event for the Campaign for Liberty—an organization with roots in Ron Paul’s 2008 presidential campaign.
Angry and concerned over being detained, Bierfeldt has filed a federal lawsuit (with the aid of the ACLU) against Homeland Security for what he calls an unreasonable search and violation of his constitutional rights.
During the questioning Bierfeldt recorded the officials with his iPhone which he is using in his lawsuit.
You can hear the recording here: www.aclu.org/safefree/general/39922res20090618.html
Personally, I fail to see how this is a violation of his constitutional rights. I wasn’t there but it seems to me that if he had simply answered their questions then there would not have been any trouble. Why would the officials choose to detain him? I see a serious lack of motive in this case…
Comments
Personally, I fail to see how the actions of the officers were not unconstitutional. We are supposedly guaranteed protection against unreasonable search and seizure. Exactly what reasons did the TSA guys have for searching?
Haily, listen to the recording again and notice that not one of the many law-enforcement professionals are able or willing to answer a simple question about the law they are enforcing: 'Am I legally required to answer that question?'
What is so difficult about that? Nothing. So why not answer 'Yes you are'?
Because either they don't know what the law they are enforcing is or they know that what they are doing is not legally required.
Its simple Constutional Law. There are many exceptions to the 4th amendment. One being searches required at airports. Its quite simple dont want to be searched, then dont fly. People DO NOT have the right to air travel
$4,700 is not a lot of money. They were trying to intimidate the guy and the guy was not intimidated.
They should have answered the passenger's question and it would have been over a long time ago. God only knows how many terrorists went thru while these idiots were messing with this guy. Probably zero....these guys are not that good or smart for that matter.
There is nothing illegal about carrying $4,700 in cash around. I don't do it but for those who choose to....this is still a free country. If the guy would have been going out of the country, it would have been a different story. They try to act like the guy did something wrong when he didn't. Even if he does not answer questions, it is not a reason to detain him. Based on the recording, those TSA guys and the cop.....WHAT A BUNCH OF IDIOTS AND LOSERS!!!
It's not about the money. It's about the TSA overstepping it's authority. They outside their legal authority and, unless challenged, will continue to do so.
If all this is really ok with you, then why not sign a contract with the TSA authorizing them to question you about anything, anytime any place?
You won't do that will you? This case will restrict the boundaries of their authority to what is reasonable for the safety of air travel. It will prevent them from being little dictators who can do anything to anyone at anytime.
And that's why you won't sign that contract.
All the time this young man spent ...my tax dollars were being used. We are being denied the right to are day in court with the "Bankrupt the terriost Sue" and you are letting $4,000 dollars be made a big deal. How did the terriost get money into the US?
maybe for tsa security guards who live in trailer parks $4700 is a "large" amount of money... but for the rest of the world it's merely a nice lunch. the dollar just ain't what it used to be.
It's not his duty to answer the amount of money he is carrying on his person. What law was he breaking. Of course, in this country now, we are entering an age of "wealth envy." Maybe that's the law he was breaking.. doing well for himself.
Interesting discussion and post, Hailey. I suppose the courts will decide the merits of the potential threat of 4700 dollars vs. the 4th Amendment. Since he did nothing illegal except be uncooperative, he has reason to complain. However, had he been on board a plane with his recalcitrance, the plane would have landed immediately, he would have been taken off and arrested. In that case, TSA detained someone demonstrating erratic behavior, just cause, and arguably prevented the previous scenario.
If you're another passenger, do you want this guy on your plane?
John Silk, a very nice straw man. Are those our only two choices, really?
All of you that have a problem with what TSA does to attempt to make YOU safer, I would really like to see how much better off you would be without them. Then terrorists could excersise their constitutional right to blow you out of the sky. Think about that for a minute.
Simply put the passenger did not owe any of us (aka the government who acts in our name) an explanation about his money.
The TSA officials did, through their oaths, owe him an explanation of legality their questions.
The only criticism we have the authority or moral right to have is on the TSA's actions. Attacking a man, a citizen, a lone individual for requesting his rights is unjust and dangerous on the face of it. The deeper consequences are that we encourage a movement for our society to more resemble the tyrannical societies of Nazi Germany, Stalin's Soviet Union, or Kim Il-Jung's North Korea.
Power naturally gravitates towards abuse. It is part of the human condition and our government has checks to ensure that they do not turn into the very evil they are mandated to protect us from.
We are Americans, and we must demand that our rights remain protected, those checks, not only from terrorists but also from abusive power. We must demand that government too follows
Granted airports have the right to search you. If they find something that goes "boom", good work. A box of money does not blow up the plane. If they don't want people bringing it on, make a rule against it. Until then, why is it their business why you have what you have, so long as it's allowed?
Lots of interesting conversation about this topic at the TSA blog (Terrorists Evolve. Threats Evolve. Security Must Stay Ahead. You Play A Part.)
Funny when it happens to someone who is not a minority. When blacks, latinos, middle easterners or anyone who is non white is stopped it is business as usual. The thing that got me was he was more or less like how dare you stop me I'm a white male. Granted most TSA don't need more than a GED so they probably didn't understand his question or the law they are wondering how to enforce. I could see if it was an international transaction. The banks have laws requiring documentation of certain dollar amounts but money on a plane? I hope all you pro athletes and celebs (well rappers know this already) realize that cash on a plane is just wrong. No one seemed to realize that you need 4700 to purchase the headphones, pillow, peanuts, priority seat, and drinks on a plane.
This should not have happened but it did and it will again. These security persons should have had a better understanding of the law. I wonder if they had any training in that area of the law if any at all. We are head toward a swift end to freedom in this nation that claims to fight for freedom in other countries. How about a little freedom in America the home of the free and the land of the brave. Unless these type of actions from our law enforcement officials are stopped we will not be free or brave.
Having wotked at the airport inquestion, I have seen people go thru the check points, in a lot of different conditions. There were times I had to call for a ramp agent to come to the gate to make the decision on whether the person could fly. Yes I know that there are some security officers that at times let
their authority go to their heads. All the gentleman had to say was, "with all do respect I would not like to answer that question."
or aked to talk to their supervisor. Thats all
he had to do. As for them living in a trailer, thats just a stupid comment.
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