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TSA security check at Minneapolis Airport (AP Photo/Kiichiro Sato)
A very interesting case is beginning to work its through the courts. Steven Bierfeldt, an employee of Ron Paul’s Campaign for Liberty organization, was reportedly harassed and detained at an airport in Saint Louis, MO, by agents of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). While attempting to board his flight, Mr. Bierfeldt was asked why he was carrying a cash box with a large sum of money. The money totaled around $4,700.
Agents repeatedly asked Mr. Bierfeldt why he was carrying so much cash. Mr. Bierfeldt responded by asking if he was required by law to answer that question, and if so, he would be happy to tell them. TSA representatives never advised him of his rights, or his requirement to answer. They instead told him he would not be released if he did not answer as to why he was carrying so much cash, detained him in an interrogation room and threatened to contact the Drug Enforcement Agency. The Campaign for Liberty has filed a suite alleging Mr. Bierfeldt’s constitutional rights were violated.
Andrew Napolitano and John Stossell discuss the issue in a post at YouTube.
The Campaign for Liberty has a post about the incident here.
I must say this seems to represent a gross violation of Mr. Bierfeldt’s rights. While I am fully sensitive of the constant balancing act between liberties with security; I wholeheartedly disagree with a mindset which assumes we must turn over our constitutional rights when we enter an airport. The TSA should be using effective profiles and targeting individuals who meet specific criteria. I doubt such a profile includes carrying some money and inquiring about one's rights.
I expect this suite is just the beginning of what will end up a lengthy series of legal proceedings. The TSA and their parent Homeland Security Agency will likely fight to retain broad capabilities to search and detain anyone, arguing such rules are required to stop terrorists from boarding airplanes. The Campaign for Liberty will likely hold their ground, and argue that simply attempting to board an airplane does not make one a terror suspect, nor should travelers be treated as such.
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