In a move that has both civil libertarians and budget hawks nodding in grim agreement, the Trump administration has officially axed the Transportation Security Administration’s ( TSA ) “Quiet Skies” program—a covert surveillance initiative that, for over a decade, monitored American travelers without their knowledge (see, I bet you have never heard of it before).

Launched in 2010, Quiet Skies aimed to identify potential security threats by having undercover air marshals observe passengers exhibiting behaviors deemed suspicious . These behaviors included fidgeting, sweating, or using electronic devices in a certain manner.

The program cost taxpayers approximately $200 million annually but failed to prevent a single terrorist attack during its operation.

How it Worked

Under

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