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Detained at airport when trying to catch connecting flight - were rights violated?

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My wife's sister was detained at Minneapolis airport. She was already through security as she just flew in from Kansas City. She was on the way to a connecting flight when she was detained. She has been living in the USA and studying for several years and almost done with her PHD. She has Russian citizenship. She was on the way to Greenland to perform physics experiments. She also had some equipment anyone can buy off Amazon (antennas and some other equipment for experiment).

They brought her to a room for 1 hour and 30 minutes yelling at her, and demanding to know her military rank. She provided letters and documents from here university, yet they kept interrogating her. She was eventually able to leave without further incident.

Were her rights violated? What authority allows someone to be detained based on their country of citizenship and equipment (anyone can buy off Amazon)? Why would they be detained after the first leg of their trip?
 
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adjusterjack

Senior Member
Were her rights violated?
No.

What authority allows someone to be detained based on their country of citizenship and equipment (anyone can buy off Amazon)?
I'm gonna guess the Patriot Act. But you can look that up.

She also had some equipment anyone can buy off Amazon (antennas and some other equipment for experiment).
Terrorists make bombs out of antennas and other equipment anyone can buy off Amazon. Or, they use common box cutters to hijack planes and fly them into tall buildings.

No joke.

Why would they be detained after the first leg of their trip?
Somebody got suspicious where somebody else didn't. That's pretty much irrelevant.
 

Taxing Matters

Overtaxed Member
I was detained for well over an hour by security personnel (not TSA agents as TSA didn't exist then) and my bags thoroughly searched and x-rayed by a machine much bigger and more sensitive than the regular machines used in the security lines at an airport pre 9-11. This action was based on what they regarded as a potentially suspicious change in my ticket plans. I had gotten ill the day I was supposed to leave and was taken to the hospital where I stayed for 2 days. I then rebooked the flight out for the day after I was discharged. Apparently that kind of last minute change of ticket is something that raises a red flag as a potential threat. That detention too was legal. Once you are in the secured area of an airport the government has expanded authority to detain you, question you, and search you that it would not have on private property.
 

zddoodah

Active Member
Were her rights violated?
Without knowing WHY she was detained, it is impossible to assess this question intelligently.


What authority allows someone to be detained based on their country of citizenship and equipment (anyone can buy off Amazon)?
You're making an assumption here that may or may not be warranted. However, the law gives airport security very wide latitude.


Why would they be detained after the first leg of their trip?
I hope it goes without saying that no one here has any information about this.
 

quincy

Senior Member
A passenger can be detained for a variety of reasons and questions asked can include those on citizenship and travel plans. But I am curious why airport security would ask about the sister’s military rank.
 

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