DHS said Sen. Jeanne Shaheen could use her influence to remove her husband from the TSA watch list and remove him after he flew with “known or suspicious terrorists.”
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- Senator Jeanne Shaheen denied that she knew her husband William “Billy” Shaheen was on the TSA watch list, or that she had used her office to remove him.
- Immigration attorney Celine Atala said she is a “co-traveler” DHS who is allegedly “known or suspicious terrorist.”
- Atala blows up the DHS for “trying to score political points by plastering innocent people.”
- DHS secretary Kristi Noem said the Biden administration used the watchlist to target enemies, including Tulsi Gbbard, now the director of national intelligence in the United States.
- DHS said it had ended TSA’s “Silent Partners Siect Skies” watchlist on June 5th.
A New England lawyer says she was marked as a terrorist in the fight between the Department of Homeland Security and Senator DN.H. over the TSA watchlist.
Immigration attorney Celine Atala says she is a suspicious “co-traveler” named after attacking the senator in a June 4 DHS press release, but claimed she was unfairly suffering.
DHS accused Shaheen’s husband, Attorney William “Billy” Shaheen of traveling with “known or suspicious terrorists,” and said the senator would use her influence to remove it from the TSA watch list.
Shaheen denied having her husband pull from her watch list as Atala, a close family friend, blow up the DHS because she “stroking to score political points by plastering innocent people.”
“Let me be clear. I am a legal counsel for Billy Shaheen, a US citizen, a licensed lawyer, and a law-abiding American.
Atala moved forward after DHS said Shaheen’s husband had accompanied him on a suspected terrorist flight.
“New Hampshire Senator Jeanne Shaheen’s husband traveled three times in a year with terrorists and three known or suspected terrorists,” a June 4 DHS press release allegedly.
“I am the individual DH mentioned in a recent public release, a so-called “known or suspicious terrorist” who traveled with lawyer William “Billy” Shaheen,” Atala said in a statement.
“I have no criminal history and have dedicated myself to fighting for immigration rights at home and representing pro bono, representing Americans who have been mistakenly taken into custody or held hostages abroad…” Atala said. “In fact, during my first term I worked closely with the Trump administration to help bring home US citizens who were illegally detained.”
The DHS press release cites certain flights where Bill Shaheen was a “co-traveler with known or suspected terrorists.” Atala said she was on those flights.
Kristi Noem says Biden is “weaponized” watchlist
The DHS claims that the TSA watchlist program “The Quiet Sky of Silent Partners” has been politicized by the Biden administration, leading to harassment of political adversaries like Tulsi Gabbard, former lawmaker and current intelligence director for President Donald Trump, allowing political allies like Hook’s Shahen.
The Biden administration has “weaponized” the program “to benefit political enemies and their common friends,” DHS Director Christa Noem said in a press release.
DHS announced on June 5 that it had ended its quiet Skies program, saying it “could not stop a single terrorist attack while costing $200 million a year.”
Atala disagrees that the quiet sky program has broken.
“Until I read the official DHS statement, I never thought I would be on the TSA’s quiet Skies watchlist,” writes Atallah. “I knew I was under a humiliating search – humiliated, pulled aside, asked questions – I asked more than 40 times.
Atala said he sought help from Senator Shaheen’s office.
“I’ve done nothing wrong and I’m not worried – they can find something for me when they try,” she said.
The Department of Homeland Security declined to say why Atala was flagged as a possible terrorist.
“We are confident in law enforcement information. We have no intention of sharing intelligence reports or undermining national security,” said Tricia McLaughlin, assistant secretary for public affairs for DHS, in a statement, and Atala “chosen to reveal his will.”
Atala has submitted a Freedom of Information Act request for airport searches.
In June 2023, DHS told Atallah “we cannot review or deny information about customers that may be on federal watchlists, nor can we disclose any law enforcement-sensitive information.” DHS proposed but did not confirm, which may have said “fixing… may help to avoid incidents of misidentification.”
As a well-known immigration lawyer, Atala said she works to arrange for the return of Palestinian Americans trapped in Gaza.
“I already help individuals and families, including prominent families in Massachusetts,” she said. “I helped them get home. That’s what I do and I’m very passionate about it.”
The girl in the choir became a lawyer
Atala said she has known Jeanne and Bill Shaheen since she was 16 years old. “I was a girl in the choir at St. George’s Church in Dover, a church built by Billy’s mother.”
“It’s both confusing and dishonorable to see this administration suggest that Bil Shaheen is ‘traveling with terrorists’,” Atala wrote.
Senator Shaheen recently announced that he would not seek reelection in 2026. US Rep. Chris Pappas, DN.H., is the democratic frontline of her seat, and Stephanie Shaheen, daughter of Shaheen of Portsmouth, recently announced her bid for Pappas’ seat.
“The whole situation is ridiculous,” Bill Shaheen said. “I didn’t know I was on the list, why was it on the list, and I think I know now. When I first searched, I was told it was ‘random’.
Shaheen said the search was invasive.
“They’re taking your belt, they’re lifting your legs,” he said. “They don’t even bother asking you on dates, and they “walking” you to the gate. ”
Shaheen said his wife, Senator Jeanne Shaheen, never asked anyone to take him off the list. He just wanted to know why he was being searched and who was responsible.
“If you’re trying to take away someone’s rights, you’re better off being prepared to justify it, you’re better off being able to prove the facts,” he said.
Bill Shaheen said she knew Atala because she was a little girl.
“She has a huge heart and wants to help people as much as she can,” he said. “She said, as a girl, she wanted to be a lawyer. I provided guidance to help her. I can’t believe she is, and I will never believe her as a terrorist.”
“Invasive and degraded”
Shaheen’s office said she contacted the TSA after her husband was exposed to several extensive, invasive and deteriorating searches at airport checkpoints.
“The suggestion that the senator’s husband appears to be on the list of quiet sky is news for her and she has never grown up before yesterday,” the office said in a statement. “She was not aware of the actions that took place following her call to remove him from such a list.”
The Senator’s office said Bill Shaheen was stopped at least five times and searched despite the fact that he was a former judge who served as a US lawyer for New Hampshire.
Bill Shaheen is a respected Lebanese-American lawyer and said the senator’s office is working in the Arab-American community.
What was TSA’s quiet Sky program?
The Transportation Security Agency, which made the airport’s security federal government after the terrorist hijacking on September 11, 2001, created the “Quiet Sky” program in 2010, providing additional screenings for suspicious travelers.
The TSA states that individuals identified for additional screenings are not necessarily “known or suspicious of terrorists.” Travelers are selected in the list. This is based on aggregated travel data, intelligence and suspicious activities.
TSA will not release the number of people on the list for security reasons. However, reports say in 2017, 1.2 million people, including 4,600 US citizens, were participating in the terrorist screening database.
Civil liberty groups such as the Council on the US and Islamic Relations have filed lawsuits on behalf of those who objected to inclusion on the “quiet sky” list. However, TSA officials defend the program as “very effective” in providing security and protecting traveller privacy.
Atala said she chose to speak out to clear her name and Shahen’s name.
“They use my story to launch a partisan smear campaign rather than bringing accountability or reform,” she said. “They twisted facts, spread falsehoods and used the official DHS platform to portray me, a US citizen and lawyer, as a ‘terrorist’ for political interests. ”
Contributors: Bert Janssen, Josh Meyer – USA TODAY
