Searching vehicles a matter of security

Why are your car and trunk searched when you use the short-term parking lot at Daytona Beach International Airport, but you can drive up to the front of the terminal to drop off someone or pick up someone, all without a search?

"The reason why is the federal mandates now permit this arrangement when blast analysis shows that constant surveillance will accomplish the required level of security," said Steve Cook, director of marketing for DBIA. "When you pull up to the curb, a deputy sheriff has you under constant surveillance and you must stay in or near your car at all times. If you leave your car and go into the terminal, you will receive a citation. At Orlando International Airport, your car will be instantly towed away. On the other hand, cars in short term parking are not under surveillance, so we have to check them before they are allowed in."

Reply 10 at Free Pass [Airport Security] [Free Republic], National Review online, September 12, 2002, by Michelle Malkin (posted by xsysmgr):

The barn door, literally wide open ---
Last evening, a friend and I decided to memorialize September 11, by going out to the airport to eat and watch the planes coming and going in the dusk and moonlight.
It was a beautiful evening; unlimited visibility.
Approaching the airfield from the west, along the once-well-travelled access road, we stopped at the intersection west of the airfield, facing both the perimeter fence and Runway 10 Right (100 degrees from north).
The fence was wide open. A perimeter gate for access by "Taxi Cabs" was the defect in the defense system. The gate leads to an airfield road which parallels Runway 10 Right's northern taxiway. The road travels east to an intersection where the cabbies can then turn north, should they so desire, and proceed to the main road leading to the ground floor of the airport terminal.
Or they may not so desire.
We could have driven straight onto the airfield proper without so much as a blink from airfield security.
Because there is no airfield security.
Because there is no airfield security.
Because there is no airfield security.
ETC.
But more than this typical discovery at this typical, major metropolitan airfield in the midwest, is the little matter of nearly 90% of the "Taxi Cab" drivers are from the Horn of Africa --- they are either Somali or Sudanese.
They drive their "Taxi Cabs" onto the airport proper without any security check.
They drive their "Taxi Cabs" onto the airport proper without any security check.
They drive their "Taxi Cabs" onto the airport proper without any security check.
ETC.
Now, if you are anybody else, you cannot park your car within 300 ft. of the airport terminal ... while these mid-African-Easteners drive their un-checked "Taxi Cabs" directly to the ground floor of the airport terminal without anybody even "statistically ... randomly" inspecting their trunk, seats, packages ... bras or shoes.
These "Taxi Cab" drivers face no physical barriers, from ramming their "Taxi Cabs" through the airport terminal doors.
Yet more clearly, they face no barriers from simply driving their "Taxi Cabs" and brethren right on up to the the outside stairway of the aircraft passenger loading ramp extended from the terminal concourse to the aircraft --- pick any airline.
There is no need for the "Taxi Cab" brethren to go through the airport terminal in order to board or take over an aircraft.
When they can do so, easily, from the outside.
Where there is no airfield security.
Where there is no airfield security.
Where there is no airfield security.
ETC.
By order of the President.

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