Summary: The legal action was initiated by Bahig Saliba, a pilot employed by American Airlines, against Spokane International Airport and three of its security personnel on August 1, 2023. Saliba asserts that he was unjustly targeted and detained due to his Middle Eastern descent by the defendants on December 6, 2021. He further alleges that the defendants colluded with his employer to inflict severe penalties, leading to his indefinite suspension without remuneration, financial hardship, and potential job loss. Saliba contends that he was exempt from the mask mandate during the pandemic, as outlined in the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Security Directive 1542-21-01B. He alleges that the defendants forcibly required him to wear a mask, which conflicted with his medical conditions and his public contract. Saliba asserts that this action infringed upon his rights safeguarded by the U.S. Constitution, specifically his 1st, 4th, and 14th Amendment rights, in addition to several U.S. Codes and the Federal Aviation Act of 1958. Furthermore, Saliba accuses the defendants of neglecting to adequately educate airport police on TSA Security Directives, which exempt certain individuals from mask-wearing. He alleges that the defendants breached the conditions of federal funding agreements by enforcing the mask mandate and should therefore return the funds received. Saliba is seeking penalties for the defendants' alleged false statements to the FAA, which could lead to a $250K fine, 5 years of imprisonment, or both. Saliba is pursuing legal recourse under 42 U.S. Code §1983, which offers a remedy for the infringement of constitutional rights by individuals acting under the guise of state law. He is also seeking a permanent injunction to prevent the defendants from enforcing mask-wearing on pilots in the future, a declaration that the actions of the Spokane Airport police contravened the TSA SD, and compensatory damages.