But Anwar was not aware that he was marked for surveillance the minute he stepped into the airport because he was placed on the Selectee List. He assumed it was his behavior, like carrying only a backpack, or his appearance that triggered TSA’s suspicion of him. But many passengers fly with only carry-on luggage and are not subjected to intense interrogation by TSA agents. When I asked if there were markings on his ticket, he told me they were marked with four Ss, which, unknown to Anwar, ensured he would encounter more security as he navigated through the airport.

QUESTION: How does the Selectee List and the four-S marking system work in practice? What broader categories of travelers end up on it?

Saher Selod, Forever Suspect_ Racialized…, loc. 201