A Pentagon employee was wrongfully added to the federal suspected domestic terror watchlist by the Biden regime after attending the January 6, 2021, rally in Washington, D.C.. Elias Irizarry, who was 19 at the time, was placed on the list and subjected to surveillance on nearly three dozen commercial flights. According to flight logs obtained by me, three Federal Air Marshals were assigned to each flight, monitoring and documenting his movements before and during travel.
EXCLUSIVE: Elias Irizarry Wrongfully Added to TSA Terror Watchlist
Irizarry expressed deep regret for the events that took place at the Capitol on January 6 and pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of entering and remaining in a restricted building. He is now with the Pentagon’s Special Operations and Low Intensity Conflict office. Friends tell me Irizarry is a highly intelligent professional and a dedicated public servant.
Acting Pentagon Press Secretary Joel Valdez defended Irizarry’s role in the department, stating: “Mr. Elias Irizarry is a qualified, patriotic young professional, and we are proud to have him as a political appointee at the Department of Defense.”
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The Quiet Skies program, which was expanded under the Biden regime, has faced scrutiny for alleged overreach. Reports indicate that thousands of Americans were added to the list, including individuals who did not attend the January 6 rally.
I exclusive broke the story when DNI Tulsi Gabbard was added to the list after criticizing then-Vice President Kamala Harris.
The program drew significant taxpayer funding but, according to officials, produced no known terrorism-related arrests or disruptions. In response to widespread concerns about its use, former Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem moved to shut down the Quiet Skies program. Noem also referred the matter to the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division and to Congress for further review.
Despite the program’s termination, no individuals involved in its creation or enforcement have faced formal accountability. While five senior leaders were removed from their positions, they were permitted to retire. The director of the Federal Air Marshals Service, Brian Belcher, remains in his role and received approximately $40,000 in performance bonuses last year.
Brian Belcher is currently the Executive Assistant Administrator (EAA)/Director for Law Enforcement (LE), Transportation Security Administration.
The case has renewed debate over the balance between national security measures and civil liberties, particularly regarding the use of watchlists for domestic surveillance.