President Trump administration officials apologized to a Canadian cabinet minister after an airport security agent asked him to remove his turban during a security check at Detroit Metro Airport while he was on his way back to Canada last year.
Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development Navdeep Bains, who is a Sikh and for who wearing a turban is mandatory in his religion, said he was repeatedly asked to take his turban off and it was only when security agents realized who he was that they allowed him to travel.
In the end, Bains did not remove his turban.
"I was very frustrated and disappointed that this occurred but ultimately I was allowed to fly,” Bains said, in comments delivered to a Group of Seven women's forum in Toronto on Thursday. "But it was because of who I was and that should not be the case. It doesn’t matter what your status is and what your position is."
Bains said he recounted his experience to Canada’s foreign minister Chrystia Freeland who then complained to senior U.S. transportation officials. Bains said the U.S. officials expressed regret and apologized and he has accepted the apology.
Mike England, a spokesman for the U.S. Transportation Security Administration, said closed-circuit video showed that the officer conducting the screening did not follow standard operating procedures and has received additional training.
But England said security agents do have the right to search headwear.
"All persons wearing head coverings may be subject to additional security screening, which may include an officer-conducted or self-conducted pat-down. TSA does this to ensure that prohibited items or weapons are not concealed beneath any type of clothing and brought onto an aircraft. This policy covers all headwear and is not directed at any one particular item or group," he said.
"We recognize that passengers may be unable or unwilling to remove items for religious, medical, or other reasons, and should expect to undergo additional screening protocols."
Bains said it’s the first time he’s been asked to take his turban off while traveling in the U.S.
