Automated Targeting System
The Automated Targeting System or ATS is a United States Department of Homeland Security computerized system that automatically assigns every foreign visitor to the U.S. a rating to help gauge whether they are a criminal or a terrorist. These ratings take many details into account, such as country of origin, how travel to the U.S. was funded, and the visitor's driving record. Other more mundane details also factor in, such as where the person is sitting on the flight and what they ordered for their meal.
The existence of such a system was first discovered by the public in November 2006, when a mention of it appeared in the Federal Register. The system appears to have been implemented shortly after the 9/11 Terrorist Attacks.
Many organizations oppose the concept of a rating system that arbitrarily assigns people a probability for being a terrorist, citing concerns about reliability and undue scrutiny.