Canseco Says TSA Agent Went Too Far In Search

U.S. Representative Francisco Canseco says he was assaulted by a TSA agent during a pat-down at San Antonio International Airport earlier this month. Canseco said "The agent was very aggressive in his pat-down, and he was patting me down where no one is supposed to go. "It got very uncomfortable so I moved his hand away," Canseco said. "That stopped everything and brought in supervisors and everyone else."

Canseco (pictured) later told a television station KENS in San Antonio, TX, that the agent conducting the pat-down said he too was assaulted when Canseco pushed his hand away. According to the TSA, neither man was cited. Canseco was selected again for a pat-down a week later at the same airport. "I did not see it as a coincidence,” he said. “I asked them why are you going to pat me down again, so we discussed it further and after discussing it further, they patted me down." This occurrence also resulted in the San Antonio police being called to the security check point area, with no citations issued.

The TSA issued the following statement regarding the incident: "TSA incorporates random and unpredictable security measures throughout the airport. Once a passenger enters the screening process, they must complete it prior to continuing to a flight or secure area."

Canseco said that his experience highlighted the need for changes in airport security. "It is very important that Americans feel safe and secure as they travel in our nation’s airways - safe and secure from acts of terrorism and all that. But, I also think that TSA sometimes gets too aggressive, and it's not just about me. It's about every American that goes through those TSA scanners."

FMI: www.tsa.gov