20 December 2001

Airport Profiling of People of Arab and Muslim Descent Greatly Decreased

New law, policies help minimize incidents of discrimination

By Laura J. Brown
Washington File Staff Writer

Washington -- Incidents of profiling people of Arab and Muslim descent at U.S. airports have greatly decreased thanks to a recently passed law and clear instructions to screening companies, Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta said December 20.

Mineta spoke at the National Press Club in Washington after a screening of new public service announcements aimed at stopping discrimination and violence toward Arab and Muslim Americans. Responding to a question on what his department is doing about racial profiling in airports, he said, "there are incidents that still may pop up, but I think, by and large, they have been minimized."

Following the September 11 terrorist attacks, the Department of Transportation "informed all of the airlines about the issue of profiling and the fact that the law was very clear about discriminating against anyone," Mineta said.

In addition, the secretary said that a new law passed by Congress, the Aviation and Transportation Security Act, clearly puts in the hands of the department the responsibility for the screening of bags and passengers.

"To be sure, because we have to deal with the safety and security of the flying public, there is going to be across-the-board screening of passengers and bags. That is the law," Mineta said. "But that process is not going to be based on race, color, creed, how you're dressed, what you look like or any of the other subjective factors."

Also present at the event was James Zogby, president of the Arab American Institute, who praised the secretary and his department for their efforts to minimize incidents of racial profiling.

"If this had happened in another country, it could have been a nightmare for our community or for any community. But because America operates in a very different way, I think we received a degree of support. And given the incredibly difficult job that Transportation had to do, to provide security at a time of fear, and given the fact that there was the reality of a backlash and a fear of people of Arab descent, the effort that was made to minimize that and, for all intents and purposes, largely eliminate it, has been extraordinary," Zogby said.