US Citizens who travel, did you know you have a terror rating?

Question

I wonder what mine looks like?

"Virtually every person entering and leaving the United States by air, sea or land is scored by the Homeland Security Department's Automated Targeting System, or ATS. The scores are based on ATS' analysis of their travel records and other data, including items such as where they are from, how they paid for tickets, their motor vehicle records, past one-way travel, seating preference and what kind of meal they ordered."

The creepy part is that they will supply this rating to agencies determining permits or licenses, or to private employers, apparently, but you can't apply to see your own.

What do you think?

http://www.ktre.com/Global/story.asp?S=5755324

Guy, I'm not so bothered by the government having it for their supposed purpose. The idea that it may disqualify me for a job based on my ordering chicken rather than beef is a little unsettling, if I can't even know what the score is, however.

Mr. Stomp, what is the security justification for not letting us see our own rating - which they are giving out to others?

Answer 1

To the people who are for ATS do you believe in the infallibility
of the government? I think safe measures are great and
the ability to spot a terrorist is a great system but doesn't
it get kind of murky when the government HAS NOT TOLD the American people about this system. A database that you or anyone else can become part of and NEVER KNOW.

What if you room with someone who is a terrorist and/or turns up on a terrorist list. Could be either rightly or by a mistake. The point is you have a CONNECTION. You have no way to say that you didn't know the person that well. That you were not close friends with him/her. But it doesn't matter because you will be thrown
in prison and you will not be able to see the evidence linking you
to a suspected terrorist. Because the government's zeal for catching terrorists is more important than your individual freedoms. There are many things wrong with a system where you cannot question the "evidence" presented against you. This is what happened during the McCarthy era of the 1950s. People
would claim that you were a communist and you couldn't see or
hear the "evidence" or question the person who made the claim
against you. That is not only wrong in principle I would argue that it is un-American.

Ben Franklin said it best when he said:

"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." Benjamin Franklin

Answer 2

Yes I had heard about this.Since I travel a lot in my business to many country's it can be unsettling.Yes a cash payment for a ticket of great distance creates a red flag,as does no luggage on a long flight except for a carry on..Its very interesting and I fully understand your concerns.I too have them.But I assume that's our price to pay for the protection of this nation from terrorist.At least that's what they tell us.I have nothing to hide but I'm not too happy with the fact that I don't know who all they share this rating with.My business involves investment of other people money so Id also love to see my rating.Turning a blind eye and a free hand to the government is what happened in Nazi Germany.
Government officials could not say whether ATS has apprehended any terrorists. Based on all the information available to them, federal agents turn back about 45 foreign criminals a day at U.S. borders, according to Homeland Security's Customs and Border Protection spokesman Bill Anthony. He could not say how many were spotted by ATS.hmmm interesting isn't it?

Protectionism at the costs of all personal freedoms becomes oppression....

Answer 3

Someone will try to take the government to court over this. If I have the right to see my FBI file through the Freedom of Information Act then I should be able know my ATS information. The no fly list is a complete mess which gives me little faith that this new system is accurate.
I'd be curious to see my score, In the past year I've been to Malaysia (a Muslim country) and to Venezuela (home of Chavez).

Answer 4

I don't get it, Dar; you people complain all day long about immigration laws and how the borders must be guarded; what part of Homeland Security do you not understand? Times have changed; we can no longer live in the pre 9/11! With change comes new challenges; this is one of them. Would you prefer we keep the status quo and do NOTHING??

I am in the world of lawyers; so what if they give their opinion here; in the real world, to my knowledge our civil right is intact...it's just another drill to have your attorney ask for the score(!)...if you have nothing to hide, why does it matter...you are being a bit extreme to think it could affect 'your' job opportunity! While it's true that this program is in place, this article is just another opinion seeking to sensationalize against our government. What else is new?

P.S. National security in not, in fact, everybody's business and never will be! Do you believe everything you read on the web? There is and has always been a due process in the courts of law. The imagination can be treacherous = the media!

Answer 5

I travel outside of the US on occasion. I have a US passport. The Homeland security has way too much time on its hands. Our government is getting out of control and the problem is people are letting it. They believe the story that it protects us. Have any of them sat down and read the list of items you can take in your carry-on published by TSA? This is the way that Nazi Germany started, just little bits of freedom lost for the good of the country and its safety... is that the road the US is traveling?

Answer 6

Its to bad in this world we need a terror rating. Where human life seems to some to mean very little. All of this is why we need border control, control at our airports, and sea ports, that way we just might be able to tell whos a bad guy.

Answer 7

I think that is going too far. At least let the people see it. Yeah I saw that today. That's an invasion of privacy and totally not needed.

Answer 8

Yes, I have read that and I am VERY disturbed about it....I do travel outside the U.S, about twice a year, for leisure and I think it is an invasion of privacy......This is just another example of 'big brother' watching.....Another excuse to take away our freedoms....

Answer 9

They should do away with that ASAP. What the hell is wrong with these people? If I leave the country to travel, then that's what I do. We've got to get the government to stop this invasion of privacy!

Answer 10

I hope we have a terror rating. It's about time American's get po'd enough to start scarring the tar out of the people who have tried to terrorize us for YEARS! Pay back's a B!^(#!