EPIC sues DHS over strip search machines
I don’t know how I missed this! The Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) is suing the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) over full-body scanners. On July 2, EPIC filed a petition for review and a motion for emergency stay in the District of Columbia Court of Appeals to halt the use of the machines, which show pictures of people’s naked bodies underneath their clothes.
EPIC contends (in my opinion, correctly) that the use of strip search machines as a primary method of screening – all air travelers are required to undergo them or an equally invasive pat down – violates the following laws:
- Administrative Procedures Act
- Privacy Act
- Religious Freedom Restoration Act
- Fourth Amendment
In other naked machine news (or not so new news), Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano announced two weeks ago that full-body scanners will be coming to even more airports, “strengthening security at airports throughout the nation while creating local jobs.” And taking away everyone’s privacy and dignity…but I guess Janet doesn’t care about that.
Also, as of yesterday, it turns out that U.S. Marshals have been saving and storing tens of thousands of naked images from a full-body scanner in a Florida courthouse, and that the TSA requires all of its scanners to have the capability of storing and transmitting images! Last summer the TSA said that “scanned images cannot be stored or recorded.” This makes me wonder what else they could be lying about.
Between EPIC’s lawsuit, the Virginia anti-Obamacare lawsuit going forward, and Proposition C in Missouri, this is turning out to be a good week for liberty across the country.
Read all the motions and related news articles at EPIC’s website. Thank you, EPIC, for all that you do to defend liberty.