Biden’s TSA flagged mask holdouts; Brazil and South Africa on trafficking watchlist


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Summary

Overview

Media Miss Minute highlights two stories each episode, one covered by right-leaning media and one by left-leaning media, that are underreported or unreported by the other side.

Left Media Miss

A new report reveals that under the Biden administration, the TSA used counterterrorism-style watchlists to flag Americans who resisted federal COVID-19 mask mandates or had ties to the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection.

Right Media Miss

The U.S. State Department has downgraded Brazil and South Africa on its watchlist in the latest Trafficking in Persons report, citing ongoing limitations in efforts to combat human trafficking.


Full story

In this Media Miss Minute, a new report shows the TSA’s watchlist under the Biden administration included COVID-19 mask resisters and those with ties to the Jan. 6 insurrection. Plus, the U.S. has downgraded two countries on its human trafficking watchlist, putting them at risk of facing sanctions.

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Media Miss by the left: Under Biden, TSA watchlist used on COVID-19 mask resisters, those with Jan. 6 ties, report reveals 

An internal Department of Homeland Security investigation found the Transportation Security Administration used counterterrorism-style watchlists to flag Americans who resisted federal COVID-19 mask mandates. It also flagged those with loose connections to the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection.

Over a two-month period in 2021, 19 people were placed on these watchlists. More than half were elevated to no-fly status and barred from boarding domestic flights under the Biden administration, even though they posed no credible threat to aviation security.

The report said those moves raised serious objections within TSA ranks that it was a political targeting of citizens for their beliefs, rather than for criminal conduct. Internal emails revealed concerns about misuse of authority, as standard checks and safeguards were bypassed.

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Media Miss by the right: US State Dept. targets Brazil, South Africa in human trafficking watchlist move

The U.S. State Department has downgraded Brazil and South Africa on its watchlist in the latest Trafficking in Persons report, citing ongoing limitations in efforts to combat human trafficking.

The watchlist is one stop above being blacklisted.

Now, both nations could face sanctions if they don’t take actionable steps to mitigate their human trafficking issues.

In Brazil, the government reported fewer investigations, prosecutions and convictions for trafficking-related crimes compared to previous years. And despite South Africa establishing its first local anti-trafficking task forces, the country still saw a decline in victim identification and launched fewer investigations and prosecutions overall.

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Straight Arrow
Fear No Fact.

Don't just take our word for it.


Center-rated reporting

According to media bias experts at AllSides

AllSides Center-rated reporting May 2026

Transparent and credible

Awarded a perfect reliability rating from NewsGuard

100/100

Welcome back to trustworthy journalism.

Find out more