Austin Citizens in Opposition to Advanced Imaging Technology and Invasive Pat Downs

We are in support of the resolution passed on 12.14.10 by the Austin Airport Advisory Commission as follows:

WHEREAS, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Administration now proposes to install the controversial Advanced Image Technology (AIT, et al) at the Austin Bergstrom International Airport (ABIA); and

WHEREAS, the AIT health risks for passengers and screener, for short term and long term exposure, lack of health safety standards, and medical issues are not conclusively determined by a non-partisan evaluation, and

WHEREAS, privacy rights, especially for children, sexual assault victims, medical prosthetics users, children, senior citizens, women susceptible to breast cancer, pregnant women and other physical and/or emotional challenged travelers have not been satisfactorily addressed; and

WHEREAS, the TSA's actions at other airports currently operating them have been the source of derision, ridicule, embarrassment, and other negative connotations reflecting poorly on the airport in question. These actions include the management and are therefore construed to be within their operating policy; and

WHEREAS, impact on passenger screening operations at the security checkpoints have been demonstrated by the TSA's own video capture routinely require at least three and up to ten times longer processing times compared to current standards, exacerbating the delay factor for a flight; and

WHEREAS, the AIT's themselves most importantly can be rendered ineffective or marginally by their own admission (A march report from the GAO found that such scanners might not have detected the hidden explosive used by Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab); and

WHEREAS, the US constitutional 4th amendment issues precluding unreasonable search and seizure, suspension of criminal process, and other basic freedom's encroachment by the federal government cases being challenged in court are yet to be resolved; and

WHEREAS, the airport is the City of Austin's property and may be responsible for actions on that property; and

WHEREAS, certain countries have determined the AIT to be marginally valuable and are discontinuing its use after less than one year; and

WHEREAS, the AAAC supports the need to screen traveling passengers to the best security reasonably and legally possible, other methods are available to achieve this standard while respectfully maintaining the rights of the traveler and encouraging the partnership of all parties involved; and

NOW THEREFORE,

BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE AUSTIN AIRPORT ADVISORY COMMISSION AND THE CITIZENS OF THIS PETITION: Recommend the City Council oppose the installation of AITs at ABIA and further oppose the practice of invasive body searching and encourages the City Council to inform TSA, and State and Federal delegations of such opposition.