(NEW YORK TIMES) The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is expanding its screening of passengers before they arrive at the airport by searching a wide array of government and private databases that can include such records as car registrations and employment information.
The agency says that the goal is to streamline the security procedures for millions of passengers who pose no risk, but the new measures give the government greater authority to use travelers’ data for domestic airport screenings. Previously that level of scrutiny applied only to individuals entering the United States.
The prescreening, some of which is already taking place, is described in documents the TSA released to comply with government regulations about the collection and use of individuals’ data, but the details of the program have not been publicly announced.