DHS ends controversial airport surveillance program to prevent its use as a tool for political manipulation

The U.S. government is dismantling the "Quiet Skies" program, a surveillance strategy implemented at airports since 2010. The Department of Homeland Security(DHS) communicated the decision, which pointed out that the program generated an annual expenditure of close to $200 million and had been diverted from its original purpose for political purposes.

According to DHS, the program maintained watch lists as well as special exemptions that allowed certain individuals to bypass standard security checks. These exemptions included members of foreign royal families, celebrities, politicians, athletes and selected journalists.

Accusations of political manipulation

DHS Secretary Kristi Noem claimed that the program was "weaponized" during the Joe Biden presidency, used to hinder government opponents and favor influential allies. Noem called the practice corruption that affected national security and called for an investigation to shed light on the facts. "I am calling for a Congressional investigation to unearth further corruption at the expense of the American people and the undermining of US national security," she said.

A case that set off alarm bells

Among the cases that fueled the controversy is that of William Shaheen, husband of Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen. According to CBS News, Shaheen was removed from the watch list following his wife's intervention with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) after facing difficulties on a flight. DHS indicated that Shaheen had traveled on at least three occasions, accompanied by a person flagged as a suspected terrorist.

Previous criticism and privacy concerns

Civil and political groups had previously questioned the program. In 2018, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) criticized the TSA's covert surveillance of travelers without clear justification or transparency. Hugh Handeyside, an ACLU attorney, highlighted that although the program's existence was public, the TSA had withheld key information, raising concerns about its impact on civil rights and the retention of personal data.