TSA Whistleblower Says He Was Ordered to Racially Profile Somali-Americans

Airport crowdBy Steve Neavling
ticklethewire.com

A TSA employee testified before Congress Wednesday that his superiors instructed him to racially profile Somali-Americans.

Andrew Rhodes, the current TSA assistant federal security director art Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport, laid out the allegations in testimony at the House Oversight Committee, CNN reports. 

One of the largest Somali populations likes in Minneapolis.

“Not only does the TSA mistreat its employees, it alienates entire communities,” Rhoades testified. “On April 8, 2016, my supervisors asked me profile Somali imams and other Somali community members. I refused.”

Rhodes said he received very specific instructions: “With our current world affairs that we need to be mindful of those we interact with and advised that employee should check with the field intelligence officer on potential visitors to determine if we want them in our office space or meet elsewhere.”

The TSA said in a statement that it “does not tolerate racial profiling.”

“TSA takes allegations of racial profiling seriously,” the statement read. “We are reviewing this complaint and will take appropriate action if there is evidence that any TSA officer acted inappropriately.”

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