Woman detained for hours at airport sues (and wins)
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — A Bloomington woman is speaking out, saying her privacy rights were violated at the Indianapolis International Airport.
“I want the American public to know that this can happen to anyone in the U.S.,” said Christine Von Der Haar.
Her ordeal began nearly three years ago. After being detained at the airport for nearly six hours, she found out the federal government was monitoring her email.
“I didn’t think that would happen to someone like me. I’m just an ordinary citizen. That doesn’t happen to people like me, and I found out that it does,” said Von Der Haar.
Von Der Haar says she was speaking with a friend from Greece over email in 2012, and when that friend came came to the U.S. they went to pick up a package together at the airport. That’s when they were each interrogated.
“As soon as I sat, the female officer told me that they had read my email for the past year,” said Von Der Haar.
They were each questioned separately for an hour.
“And they were personal questions. She began by asking me what was the nature of my relationship with my friend,” said Von Der Haar.
Neither were on a watch list, and she says she was never told why they were detained. Von Der Haar’s friend told her later that it was because agents thought he intended to overstay his visa.
“These were innocent emails. This was a little romantic, flirtatious exchange of email with someone,” said Von Der Haar.
Von Der Haar sued and the case was settled out of court. Now she and lawyers at the ACLU are trying to change the Patriot Act which allows this type of surveillance to take place.
“The ACLU has been trying to amend the Patriot Act since it was enacted, and now we’re asking that the Patriot Act expire,” said Kelly Jones Sharp, the Director of Communications & Education at the ACLU Indiana.
Senator Joe Donnelly’s office sent 24-Hour News 8 this statement:
Senator Donnelly believes it is important to strike the right balance between protecting U.S. national security and Americans’ right to privacy. Senator Donnelly will be taking a look at proposals as they come forward in the Senate.
“I don’t want this shoved under the rug. There’s too much secrecy, there’s not enough transparency,” said Von Der Haar.
The Patriot Act is set to expire on June 1 if Congress doesn’t reauthorize it.