TSA To Search Public Transportation Without Warrants

The LA Times has reported that the MBTA transit police have declared that all public transport users will be stopped and searched at “Transit Watch” checkpoints and that anyone declining a search will be ordered to leave the station.

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) are now increasingly conducting searches and screenings at train stations, subways, ferry terminals and other mass transit locations around the US.

Chaninat & Leeds are specialist attorneys in Thailand Criminal Law

“We are not the Airport Security Administration,” TSA air marshal Ray Dineen said to the L.A. Times. “We take that transportation part seriously.” However, in response, Fred H. Cate, a professor at the Indiana University Maurer School of Law, who writes on privacy and security says "It's a great way to make the public think you are doing something. It's a little like saying, 'If we start throwing things up in the air, will they hit terrorists?' ''

The move comes at a time when the American government is actively encouraging its citizens to use public transport rather than personal vehicles, a move that is being copied by governments around the world: for example Hamburg, Germany is planning on banning cars in its city center over the next coming years.

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Americans Renouncing their Citizenship up 221%

Forbes reported that more Americans are renouncing their citizenship in the year 2013 with a whopping 221% increase from the year before, according to the article; Americans Renouncing their Citizenship up 221%. Most would wonder what is causing this upward trend. Although the reasons that Americans are renouncing their citizenship could be for a variety of things, like family obligations, or conveniences, spome experts believe that  the primary reason could be US income tax laws. 

America is one the few countries in the world that requires their citizens to pay income tax on global income sources or sources outside of America. Some prominent and wealthy Americans, such as one of the Facebook co-founder, Eduardo Saverin, have given up American citizenship to reside elsewhere, taking along their wealth. Recently, the Foreign Account Tax Compliant Act (FACTA) has also required assets disclosure by expatriates.According to Thailand law firm Chaninat & Leeds requests to assist with renouncing US citizenship are rare. In contrast Chaninat & Leeds points out persons seeking to immigrate to the US are much more frequent.  

Related Documents:

The Income Tax Treaty Between the United States and Thailand: An Overview and Analysis