Washington, DC – The Transportation Security Agency (TSA) has issued the Passenger Verification Identity Form, available to individuals who believe they may wrongly be on a watch list and would like to clear themselves from further security scrutiny when traveling. The Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF), the oldest national Sikh American civil rights and advocacy organization, met with officials of the Transportation Security Agency in late September to discuss the issues of innocent Sikh Americans who were put on TSA Watch lists and their concerns of how to be removed, among other issues. Additionally, individuals are not required to contact the TSA directly to receive this form. The Verification Form can be downloaded directly at TSA’s web site. It is extremely important to note that submitting this form does not automatically remove a name from the Watch Lists, but is a process that distinguishes passengers from suspected persons who are in fact on the Watch Lists by placing their names and identifying information on a “cleared list.” According to TSA, airline security personnel can then more quickly determine whether an individual seeking travel is a person-of-interest or not. However, if your name and identifying information is listed on the TSA “cleared list,” you still may not be able to check-in via electronic kiosks. This is due to the fact that some airlines have not linked their electronic kiosks to the TSA’s “cleared lists.” This will not mean that you will not be able to fly, but rather on certain air carriers, you must check in at the desk. If you or any Sikh American is directly impacted by this issue and needs assistance, please contact SALDEF immediately at: legal@saldef.org.
