❓WHAT HAPPENED: The former Biden regime placed some Americans who resisted the COVID-19 mask mandate or were allegedly involved in the January 6, 2021, protests in Washington, D.C., on prolonged Transportation Security Administration (TSA) watchlists, including no-fly lists typically reserved for suspected terrorists.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The TSA, Biden regime officials, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, and people allegedly connected to mask mandate resistance or Capitol protests.
📍WHEN & WHERE: The initiative, “Operation Freedom to Breathe,” began in September 2021 and involved nationwide TSA watchlists, including no-fly lists.
💬KEY QUOTE: “Biden’s TSA Administrator [David] Pekoske and his cronies abused their authority and weaponized the federal government against the very people they were charged with protecting.” – Kristi Noem
🎯IMPACT: Sources at TSA say this is the most expansive use of no-fly lists targeting U.S. citizens in history, raising alarms about government overreach and political targeting.
Internal documents reveal that the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) placed Americans who resisted COVID-19 mask mandates or were allegedly involved in the January 6, 2021, Capitol protests on federal watchlists, including the no-fly list typically reserved for suspected terrorists.
The former Biden regime launched the ironically named “Operation Freedom to Breathe” in September 2021, targeting 19 people for defying federal mask requirements. More than half were placed on the no-fly list and barred from commercial air travel, despite not being charged with any crime.
Some remained on the list until the national mask mandate ended in April 2022. Internal concerns were raised by TSA intelligence officials and the agency’s Chief Privacy Officer, who warned that the actions appeared unrelated to transportation security and instead punished political expression. Emails revealed that TSA relied on academic databases and social media profiles, rather than intelligence from agencies like the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), to make listing decisions. Inaccurate information led to mistakes, including the wrongful inclusion of a National Guardsman and an air marshal’s wife.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem strongly criticized the Biden regime’s actions. “Biden’s TSA Administrator [David] Pekoske and his cronies abused their authority and weaponized the federal government against the very people they were charged with protecting,” she said. “President Trump promised to end the weaponization of government against the American people, and we are making good on that promise.”
Noem added that the case would be referred to the Department of Justice and Congress for investigation.
Around 280 people with alleged ties to the Capitol protests were also placed on TSA watchlists, with at least five added to the no-fly list. TSA sources reportedly described the operation as the most expansive use of federal travel restrictions against U.S. citizens in the agency’s history.
Separately, Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Tulsi Gabbard has claimed she was placed on the TSA’s “Quiet Skies” watchlist, a surveillance program originally meant to track individuals deemed to pose elevated aviation risks. Gabbard believes the listing was political retaliation after she criticized former Vice President Kamala Harris.
In 2021, some Democrats also pushed legislation to restrict unvaccinated individuals from flying. Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY) introduced a bill requiring all domestic flight passengers to be fully vaccinated.
Join Pulse+ to comment below, and receive exclusive e-mail analyses.