Muslims And Airport Screening: Profiling Or Security?

Since the September 11 attacks, Muslims have been subjected to increased scrutiny and discrimination when travelling through airports. This phenomenon, known as flying while Muslim, has led to Muslims feeling profiled and targeted by airport security and other passengers. The issue is not limited to a specific country or region, with reports of discrimination coming from the United States, the United Kingdom, Europe, and the Middle East. Muslims have reported being removed from flights, subjected to invasive searches, and experiencing discrimination based on their religious attire and language. While some airlines and governments have denied that profiling occurs, others have acknowledged the issue and taken steps to address it. The impact of this discrimination has been significant, with Muslims reporting feelings of alienation, humiliation, and anxiety when travelling.

Muslims are more likely to be screened at airports due to racial profiling

In the post-9/11 world, Muslims have faced increased scrutiny and suspicion when travelling, with some feeling that they are under suspicion solely because of their religion. This has resulted in Muslims being subjected to additional security screenings, visa problems, and formal searches by police. The issue is not limited to the United States, with Muslims in other countries, such as the UK, also reporting similar experiences. A University of Bath study found that British Muslim passengers experience distress as soon as they enter the airport, with their Muslim identity taking precedence over their national identity in the eyes of authorities.

The discrimination faced by Muslims at airports can range from subtle to overt. Some Muslims report being singled out for additional screening due to wearing religious attire, such as the hijab or burqa. Others have faced Islamophobic remarks and invasive searches, including pat-downs and searches of private body parts. The impact of these experiences can be humiliating and traumatic, leading to acute anxiety and emotional distress for Muslim travellers.

The consequences of this widespread discrimination go beyond the individual level. Grievance-based jihadi propaganda can use these incidents to fuel resentment and create divisions. Additionally, when Muslims feel targeted by authorities, they may be less likely to work with those same authorities to counter violent extremism. This dynamic can hinder efforts to promote cooperation and harmony in diverse societies.

While the fear of terrorism justifies more intrusive security procedures, the discriminatory experiences of Muslims at airports risk creating a cycle of alienation, social inequality, anger, and humiliation. This has led to calls for behavioural analysis to be prioritised over racial profiling at airports, as even non-Muslim-looking individuals can carry out attacks.

This has been termed flying while Muslim

"Flying while Muslim" is a term that has been used to describe the discrimination and problems that Muslim passengers have faced on airplanes, during layovers, or at airports, especially in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks. The term is inspired by the phrase "driving while black", which similarly refers to the racial profiling of African Americans by law enforcement.

The issue of discrimination against Muslim passengers first gained media attention in 2006 when six Muslim imams were removed from a US Airways flight for allegedly exhibiting suspicious behaviour reminiscent of the 9/11 hijackers. Since then, numerous incidents have been reported where Muslim passengers have been removed from flights or subjected to additional security screenings due to their appearance, religious attire, or language spoken. These incidents have sparked widespread condemnation and raised questions about racial profiling and discrimination in airport security procedures.

In 2009, AirTran Airways removed nine Muslim passengers, including three children, from a flight after one of the men commented on the safest place to sit on the plane. Although the FBI cleared the passengers of any wrongdoing, AirTran initially refused to reimburse them for the cost of new tickets. Following media coverage and backlash, AirTran issued a public apology and reimbursed the passengers.

On March 13, 2011, a Pakistani-American woman wearing a hijab was removed from a Southwest Airlines flight due to a crew member mishearing her phone conversation. Despite being cleared to return, the pilot refused to let her back on the flight, citing discomfort among the crew members.

In November 2015, two separate incidents occurred at Midway Airport where Muslim passengers were not allowed to fly aboard Southwest Airlines flights due to other passengers' fears and biases. These incidents sparked international coverage and calls for a boycott of the airline.

In April 2016, Southwest Airlines again faced criticism for removing a passenger from a flight for speaking Arabic before takeoff. The passenger, Khairuldeen Makhzoomi, an Iraqi refugee, was detained and questioned by the FBI, sparking emotional distress and bringing back traumatic memories.

These incidents highlight the challenges and humiliation faced by Muslim passengers when travelling, often due to the biases and suspicions of other passengers and crew members. The term "flying while Muslim" encapsulates the heightened scrutiny and discrimination that many Muslims experience when navigating airport security and travelling by air.

Discrimination ranges from extra questions to formal searches and visa problems

Discrimination against Muslims at airports ranges from extra questioning to formal searches and visa problems. This discrimination has been termed "flying while Muslim", a phrase inspired by the expression "driving while black", which satirizes the racial profiling of African Americans by law enforcement. This discrimination can manifest in various ways and have negative consequences for both Muslims and the fight against terrorism.

One common form of discrimination is extra questioning by airport staff or authorities. This can be based on predictive profiling, racial profiling, or a combination of both. For example, a Muslim passenger sending a text message in Arabic may be reported by fellow passengers and subjected to hours of detention and questioning, as in the case of Hasan Aldewachi. Another example is the removal of three siblings from a plane in London and their subsequent questioning by police, due to an incorrect claim that one of them had references to Allah on her phone and was, therefore, a member of the Islamic State.

Formal searches by police and secondary security screenings are also common experiences for Muslims at airports. For instance, Khairuldeen Makhzoomi, an Iraqi refugee, was removed from a Southwest Airlines flight, detained by the FBI, and subjected to a search of his belongings and questioning for several hours. In another case, a Muslim couple celebrating their wedding anniversary were removed from a flight from France to the US, allegedly due to the wife's use of a headscarf, her husband's sweating, and their use of the word "Allah".

Visa problems, particularly when visiting the United States, have also been reported by Muslims. The Trump administration's travel ban on citizens from six Muslim-majority countries (Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen) has created additional visa requirements and challenges for individuals from these countries. Under the guidance distributed by the US State Department, visa applicants from these countries must have close family ties or formal connections to a US entity to be admitted. Even then, certain family relationships, such as grandparents and grandchildren, are excluded from the definition of "close family".

These experiences of discrimination can lead to feelings of alienation, social inequality, anger, and humiliation among Muslims. It can also cause Muslims to change their behaviour, such as travelling less frequently or avoiding certain airports. Additionally, it undermines the successes that Western countries have had in integrating Muslims into society and can weaken their trust in and cooperation with security apparatuses, which are key to preventing terrorism.

The Muslim Ban refers to a series of travel bans on Muslim-majority countries

The "Muslim Ban" refers to a series of executive orders issued by the Trump administration that restricted entry into the United States by foreign nationals from select predominantly Muslim countries. The ban was implemented through a series of executive orders, beginning with Executive Order 13769, issued on January 27, 2017. The order banned travel to the United States for 90 days from seven predominantly Muslim countries: Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen. It also suspended the resettlement of all Syrian refugees and lowered the cap for refugee admissions for the fiscal year 2017.

The Muslim Ban sparked widespread protests and legal challenges, with critics arguing that it constituted religious discrimination. Several legal challenges were filed against the executive orders, and lower courts initially blocked the implementation of the ban. However, on June 26, 2018, the Supreme Court, in a 5-4 opinion, allowed a third version of the executive order to go into force. This final version of the ban expanded the list of countries to include Venezuela and North Korea. In 2020, the Trump administration further expanded visa restrictions to include six additional countries: Eritrea, Kyrgyzstan, Myanmar, Nigeria, Sudan, and Tanzania.

The Muslim Ban had significant impacts on individuals from the affected countries, including those with valid visas or green cards. It also had economic consequences, particularly for the tourism and tech industries. The ban was revoked by President Joe Biden on January 20, 2021, shortly after he took office.

The Muslim Ban is often referred to as "Flying While Muslim," a term that describes the discrimination and profiling that many Muslim passengers have faced at airports since the September 11 attacks. This discrimination can range from extra questioning to formal searches, secondary security screenings, and visa problems when visiting the United States.

Muslims report feeling stigmatised and humiliated by these experiences

Muslims have reported feeling stigmatised and humiliated by their experiences at airports and on aeroplanes. The phenomenon has been dubbed "flying while Muslim". Since the September 11 attacks, Muslims have faced problems on aeroplanes, during stopovers, or at airports. This includes extra questions from airport staff, formal searches by police, secondary security screenings, and visa problems when visiting America.

Muslims have reported being removed from flights due to their appearance, behaviour, or language. In 2006, six Muslim imams were removed from a US Airways flight after they allegedly behaved suspiciously. In 2009, AirTran Airways removed nine Muslim passengers, including three children, from a flight after one of the men commented on the safest place to sit on the plane. In 2015, passengers at Midway Airport were not permitted to fly aboard Southwest Airlines flights when other passengers claimed to be afraid to fly with them because they were speaking Arabic, or appeared to be Muslim. In 2016, Southwest Airlines removed a passenger from a flight at Los Angeles International Airport for speaking Arabic before pushback.

Muslims have also reported being stopped and questioned at airports, and having their visas revoked. In 2012, Glasgow airport faced a boycott from Muslim passengers, who said they were fed up with being harassed by counter-terrorism officers. In 2014, the Scottish MSP Humza Yousaf revealed he had been stopped under schedule 7 of the Terrorism Act 2000. In 2015, a London DJ, Mehary Yemane-Tesfagiorgis, was removed from a flight from Rome because a passenger said they didn't feel safe travelling with him. In 2016, a British woman was detained after reading a book about Syria on a flight.

Muslims have reported feeling stigmatised and humiliated by these experiences. They have described the focus on terrorism in the media as unhelpful, and have said that the treatment they have received from authorities has been racist and discriminatory. They have also reported feeling alienated, socially unequal, and humiliated. One Muslim man said, "Everyone was looking at me and assuming I had done something wrong. This is not vigilance. This is stereotyping." Another said, "I was left at the airport with no onward ticket or refund." A third said, "I was humiliated because of her religion and the way she dressed."

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