Flying While South Asian? Why You’re Still Getting Stopped.
Twenty-five years after the TSA’s creation, travelers report humiliating encounters. We investigate why few are held accountable.
It was around 6:45 a.m. on June 6, and actor Saagar Shaikh was preparing to board a flight from Los Angeles to San Francisco. He usually flew business class and had TSA PreCheck, but sure enough, he was still “randomly selected” for a second screening.
“I’m a Brown man growing up in America. I know what the drill is. Touch me wherever you want,” Shaikh, who is Pakistani American, recalled telling the TSA agent. The agent patted him down, swabbed his palms, and made him lift up his hoodie.
Of course, he’s far from alone. In 2025, 79-year-old Ali Warisuzzaman filed a lawsuit after he said American Airlines staff tried to enter the bathroom he was using mid-air. Dozens have reported targeted strip searches, forced removals from planes, and racial slurs. We spoke to lawyers and passengers involved in some of the most viral incidents, reviewed case filings, and more to find out why racial profiling is still happening 25 years after TSA’s creation.