The Department of Homeland Security has dismantled its Quiet Skies surveillance program amid allegations of political abuse, civil liberty violations, and a stunning lack of results.
At a Glance
- DHS has officially terminated the $200M-per-year Quiet Skies air surveillance program
- Launched in 2010, the program targeted travelers not on terror watchlists using behavioral tracking
- Civil rights groups condemned its lack of transparency and potential privacy violations
- Allegations surfaced that high-profile political allies received exemptions from scrutiny
- Secretary Kristi Noem has called for a Congressional investigation into its misuse
Origins and Fallout
The Quiet Skies program began under the Obama administration in 2010 as a covert effort by the Transportation Security Administration to identify potential threats among ordinary airline passengers. Analysts and undercover air marshals monitored travelers using tactics like facial recognition and travel pattern analysis, even when those individuals were not under active investigation.
The initiative expanded in 2018, introducing more aggressive monitoring techniques, drawing fierce backlash from civil liberties watchdogs. Critics like the ACLU decried it as secretive and unaccountable, questioning its legality and ethical basis.
Watch a report: Trump to End DHS Surveillance Program.
Yet perhaps most damning was the program’s apparent ineffectiveness: a DHS report revealed it failed to thwart a single terrorist act during its 15-year run, despite costing taxpayers roughly $200 million annually.
Political Fallout
Beyond questions of cost and efficacy, Quiet Skies has ignited a fierce political firestorm. DHS Secretary Kristi Noem alleged the program was politically weaponized under the Biden administration, describing it as a “political rolodex” used to monitor adversaries and shield elites.
According to One America News, internal records showed the existence of both a watchlist and an exemption list. The latter reportedly included members of foreign royalty, influential journalists, and prominent political donors. This selective enforcement raised alarm over whether U.S. security policy was applied equally, or skewed to protect the powerful.
High-profile figures like former Democratic congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard reportedly encountered heightened scrutiny, while others such as New Hampshire political operative Billy Shaheen allegedly enjoyed exemptions despite flagged concerns.
What’s Next?
While the Quiet Skies program is officially dead, DHS insists that core aviation security efforts will continue uninterrupted. The rollout of REAL ID requirements will further tighten airport access protocols.
Secretary Noem has reiterated calls for a formal Congressional probe, seeking to uncover whether DHS surveillance infrastructure was co-opted for partisan ends. In her words, transparency and rule of law must now be restored after a decade and a half of quiet suspicion.
