ABSTRACT

The terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, changed the way America viewed security; airport security has been revamped since September 11 in an effort to avoid future attacks. Many constitutional issues regarding the Fourth Amendment and the right to privacy have arisen in response to the changes in airport security. This paper outlines security policies in place prior to September 11 and the changes implemented after the tragedy. It then outlines the evolution of Fourth Amendment and right to privacy case law in order to analyze the constitutionality of current airport security policies and procedures. By examining case law from both the Supreme Court and the US Circuit Courts of Appeals and applying the case law to examples of challenges to airport security procedures, this paper attempts to argue that airport security, while necessary, presents many opportunities for violations of civil liberties.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS