The Transportation Security Administration (TSA), a division of the Department of Homeland Security created in the wake of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, has always been controversial from nearly the first days of its formation.
There has been tremendous pushback from American travelers who were used to relatively minor security screening in the days before 9/11 but who now must submit to intensive screening, body scanning, luggage inspection and other humiliating checks at the airport anytime they want to board an airplane.
In recent years, the tide has been turning against the TSA, which many of the public feel has gone too far with its zeal to execute its mission. Undertrained agents, poor pay and long hours have created workers who have little tolerance, compassion or humanity in doing their job. Some have called for an outright ban of the TSA at certain airports or for domestic flights.
Whether the TSA is actually effective has been called into question; past tests by news organization have noted as high as a 70 percent success rate when they tried to smuggle through fake bombs or weapons.