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Former air marshals claim Orlando supervisor made them target black passengers

ORLANDO, Fla. — Three members of Congress are asking the acting inspector general to investigate allegations made by three air marshals, who claim they were instructed to target African-American passengers.

The former air marshals talked to a television station in Charlotte, North Carolina. They claimed that, while they worked at Orlando International Airport, an Orlando-based supervisor instructed them to target African-American travelers.

The whistleblowers said the supervisor used the N-word while saying African-Americans are "the ones who have warrants” and that targeting them would generate better statistics to present to Congress when asking for more money.

U.S. Rep. Val Demings and two others on the U.S. House Committee on Homeland Security have asked the acting inspector general to investigate claims of, "discriminating unlawfully against travelers based on race."

The federal lawmakers have asked for a determination on whether the orders were acted on between 2005 and 2010, and if the discrimination has continued.

A Transportation Security Administration said the supervisor is not under investigation and said that there is no record of the allegations, going back more than 11 years.

TSA officials also said the individual in question was never in a position of authority over the former air marshals who have made the claims.