Revise Color Vision Standards in the U.S. Secret Service Recruitment Process
Revise Color Vision Standards in the U.S. Secret Service Recruitment Process
The Issue
Petition to:U.S. Secret Service (USSS) & Department of Homeland Security (DHS)*
Why this matters:
The USSS automatically disqualifies color-blind applicants—a policy unchanged since 1865—despite advancements in science and inclusive hiring practices. Meanwhile, the agency’s real failures (like the 2024 Trump rally shooting and repeated security lapses) prove they should prioritize competence over arbitrary medical rules.
The Problem
- 8% of men and 0.5% of women (National Eye Institute) have red-green color blindness, barring thousands of qualified candidates.
- The FBI, FAA, and U.S. Marines already allow color-blind recruits via skills tests, pattern recognition, or corrective lenses.
- The USSS still uses a 100-year-old color dot test—irrelevant to modern tasks like threat detection or analyzing security feeds.
Our Demand
We call on the USSS and DHS to:
1. Immediately adopt alternative assessments (like the FBI’s practical exam or FAA’s pattern tests) for color-blind applicants.
2. Public justify any vision standard by proving its direct link to job performance—or abolish it.
3. Audit all medical disqualifications to ensure they’re based on actual job requirements, not outdated biases.
Why Now?
- National security can’t afford exclusion. The USSS faces staffing shortages while rejecting skilled candidates over a debunked barrier.
- This is discrimination. The ADA requires employers to accommodate disabilities unless they cause "undue hardship"—and the FBI/Marines prove there’s none.
- Public trust is eroding. How can the USSS claim rigor when it misses rifles in sniper sightlines but rejects agents over a color test?
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Call to Action
SIGN & SHARE to demand the USSS join the 21st century. 1,000+ signatures = 5x more likely to win!
#AbilityOverArchaicRules #SecurityNeedsSkills
10
The Issue
Petition to:U.S. Secret Service (USSS) & Department of Homeland Security (DHS)*
Why this matters:
The USSS automatically disqualifies color-blind applicants—a policy unchanged since 1865—despite advancements in science and inclusive hiring practices. Meanwhile, the agency’s real failures (like the 2024 Trump rally shooting and repeated security lapses) prove they should prioritize competence over arbitrary medical rules.
The Problem
- 8% of men and 0.5% of women (National Eye Institute) have red-green color blindness, barring thousands of qualified candidates.
- The FBI, FAA, and U.S. Marines already allow color-blind recruits via skills tests, pattern recognition, or corrective lenses.
- The USSS still uses a 100-year-old color dot test—irrelevant to modern tasks like threat detection or analyzing security feeds.
Our Demand
We call on the USSS and DHS to:
1. Immediately adopt alternative assessments (like the FBI’s practical exam or FAA’s pattern tests) for color-blind applicants.
2. Public justify any vision standard by proving its direct link to job performance—or abolish it.
3. Audit all medical disqualifications to ensure they’re based on actual job requirements, not outdated biases.
Why Now?
- National security can’t afford exclusion. The USSS faces staffing shortages while rejecting skilled candidates over a debunked barrier.
- This is discrimination. The ADA requires employers to accommodate disabilities unless they cause "undue hardship"—and the FBI/Marines prove there’s none.
- Public trust is eroding. How can the USSS claim rigor when it misses rifles in sniper sightlines but rejects agents over a color test?
---
Call to Action
SIGN & SHARE to demand the USSS join the 21st century. 1,000+ signatures = 5x more likely to win!
#AbilityOverArchaicRules #SecurityNeedsSkills
10
The Decision Makers
Petition Updates
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Petition created on April 6, 2025