6th Circuit Allows District Courts to Hear Challenges to No Fly List Placements

A Sixth Circuit opinion handed down Monday should provide more options to persons seeking to challenge their placement on the No Fly List. Currently, the Department of Homeland Security provides an administrative process through which redress can be sought. Appeals of these DHS decisions are statutorily confined to U.S. appellate courts. According to the Sixth Circuit's ruling in Mokdad v. Lynch, challenges of a citizen's placement on the No Fly List by the Terrorist Screening Center, as opposed to appeals of the results of the administrative application for redress, are not covered by the aforementioned statutory restrictions and can therefore by heard by U.S. district courts, opening up a new venue for challenges. A more complete explanation of the legal issues involved can be found here.