DHS Passenger Scoring Almost Certainly Illegal

Vicissidude writes "At the National Targeting Center, the Automated Targeting System program harvests up to 50 fields of passenger data from international flights, including names, e-mail addresses and phone numbers, and uses watchlists, criminal databases and other government systems to assign risk scores to every passenger. When passengers deplane, Customs and Border Protection personnel then target the high scorers for extra screening. Data and the scores can be kept for 40 years, shared widely, and be used in hiring decisions. Travelers may neither see nor contest their scores. The ATS program appears to fly in the face of legal requirements Congress has placed in the Homeland Security appropriations bills for the last three years." From the article: "Marc Rotenberg, the director of the Electronic Privacy Information Center, said he was unaware of the language but that it clearly applies to the Automated Targeting System, not just Secure Flight, the delayed successor to CAPPS II. 'Bingo, that's it -- the program is unlawful,' Rotenberg said. 'I think 514(e) stands apart logically (from the other provisions) and 514 says the restrictions apply to any 'other follow-on or successor passenger prescreening program'. It would be very hard to argue that ATS as applied to travelers is not of the kind contemplated (by the lawmakers).'"

Comments

Re:Will congress simply legalize it?

[Anonymous Coward]

While the new Democratic congress will most certainly NOT try to reverse the slide into police state, they WILL raise taxes! Whoo hooo! Go Democrats!

Are Libertarians tired of Republicans yet?

[Anonymous Coward]

How much bigger must Big Brother government become?

How much more money must be squandered?

Will they wait until after the Bush regime crosses the Rubicon in desperation before they speak up?

Re:Won't be too long

[Anonymous Coward]

Wow, you must really hate freedom.

Why don't you shut the fuck up and go to North Korea with your liberal FUD. America isn't safe yet and we will do whatever it takes to protect and defend our people from the threats that exist.

You should trust your government more. They are probably smarter than you and in a time of war we need to show unity and not question every single important policy. In these times dissent is unpatriotic and unamerican.

Re:I'll say this again

[Boronx]

And 20-40 years old RIGHT-WING CHRISTIAN males. Don't leave them out.