American Civil Liberties Union Challenges ‘No-Fly’ List

April 6, 2004

American Civil Liberties Union Challenges ‘No-Fly’ List
April 6, 2004 – According to the Associated Press, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) will file what it is calling the "first-ever nationwide class-action challenge" to the federal government’s creation of a ‘no-fly’ list.

The ‘no-fly’ list is compiled by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and distributed to airlines with instructions to stop anyone suspected of being a threat. The ACLU contends that the list includes "many innocent travelers who pose no safety risk whatsoever" but are "stopped and searched repeatedly". The group is representing seven travelers, including a member of the military, a retired Presbyterian minister and a college student

The agency admits there are flaws with the program and that they are working to help those wrongly placed on the list.

TSA maintains that it is seeking proposals from companies to test a "registered traveler" program that would allow low-risk frequent fliers to avoid extra security inspections at airports by submitting to background checks prior to traveling.