TSA Making Airport Valets Search Your Trunk May Violate Your Fourth Amendment Rights Dana Liebelson - Mother Jones
go to original August 4, 2013

One woman in Rochester alerted News10NBC that she had been left a note from the TSA on her dashboard, notifying her that they had entered her car to look around. TSA agents had apparently opened up her locked car using the key she left with valet parking attendants. (News10NBC/rambone5)

A New York woman who valeted her car at Greater Rochester International Airport recently returned to find a notice on her car informing her that it had been searched without her consent. Furious, she got in touch with a local TV station, and the story went viral. TSA quickly put out a statement saying that its agents don't search cars - but searches can be included in a TSA-approved security plan.

Mother Jones has found that not only does TSA approve searches of the trunks and interior of unattended cars in an undefined perimeter that's considered dangerously close to the airport - like a car left with valet parking - but if a valet attendant finds illegal drugs instead of bombs, they will call the police. Privacy experts say these searches could be a violation of a person's Fourth Amendment rights.

Read the rest at Mother Jones

We invite you to add your charity or supporting organizations' news stories and coming events to PVAngels so we can share them with the world. Do it now!