New TSA Rule Change Could Mean Mandatory Full Body Scans
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MIAMI (CBSMiami) – New Transportation Security Administration guidelines mean more passengers will likely go through the full body scanners and some requests for pat downs will likely be declined.
"In general, I think it's acceptable under some circumstances," said Paulo Manzato, who frequently travels through Miami International Airport.
"The way I think, it's like they're doing their job but it's actually for us. It's for our protection," said MIA passenger Roberta Jorda.
Documents obtained by CBS News say TSA officers can now direct "mandatory" body scanner "screening for some passengers" when "warranted by security considerations."
The change reflects an airport security overhaul underway since last summer after several government watchdog reports found widespread technology and human failures in the system.
Department of Homeland Security Inspector General John Roth said his investigators were able to smuggle mock explosives or weapons through checkpoints 95 percent of the time.
In another investigation, TSA agents failed to respond properly after being alerted by scanning equipment.
"The test results were disappointing and troubling. We ran multiple tests using different concealment at different airports," said Roth, who testified before Congress is November.
U.S. officials are especially concerned about explosives brought on board.
In late October, ISIS claimed responsibility for the bomb that brought down the Russian Metrojet plane in Egypt. In 2001, Richard Reid tried to light a bomb embedded in his shoe on a flight headed to Miami.
TSA officials said workers have been retrained and procedures corrected. They also said the new procedures won't affect the vast majority of passengers.
