Overview

• DHS and TSA released findings confirming Biden-era officials used watchlists and no-fly designations against Americans tied to mask-mandate resistance and to Jan. 6 activity.
• Nineteen people were flagged between Sept. 30 and Oct. 25, 2021 for opposing mask rules, with more than half placed on the no-fly list and 11 remaining flagged until April 2022.
• Roughly 280 individuals associated with Jan. 6 were added to watchlists, including five given no-fly status, with most entries later removed on June 28, 2021 unless criminal charges persisted.
• Internal objections from TSA’s chief privacy officer and career intelligence staff warned the actions were unrelated to aviation security, as officials leaned on a GWU extremism database and social media instead of traditional law-enforcement sources.
• Examples of erroneous targeting included a National Guardsman and a federal air marshal’s wife who were not at the Capitol, while DHS has since ended the Quiet Skies program, removed five TSA leaders, and begun policy and oversight reforms as Senate scrutiny continues.