Feds update 'no fly' list so suspected terrorists can learn why they were denied boarding a flight

FILE: REUTERS: UNDATED: Transportation Security Administration employees check passenger IDs before they enter security screening at Reagan National Airport, outside Washington, D.C. (REUTERS)

The Obama administration will soon tell suspected terrorists if and why they are on the federal government’s so-called “no-fly” list.

Travelers who have been refused access to a commercial airliner either in or out of the United States can petition the government to learn whether they are on the list. And they can petition a second time for an unclassified explanation on why they are on the list.

The Justice Department will file a notice Tuesday in federal court detailing the updates to the federal inquiry program.

Homeland Security Department spokesperson Marsha Catron said earlier that the federal government is “committed to ensuring the safety and security of the traveling public, while continuing to safeguard the privacy and civil liberties of all Americans.”

She also said the changes to the agency’s Security Traveler Redress Inquiry Program are to provide additional transparency and process for U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents denied boarding a commercial airliner because they are on the list, which includes thousands of names.

Federal officials also told Fox News that the changes are to provide more transparency and that the program is a resource for individuals when they believe they have been unfairly or incorrectly delayed, denied boarding or identified for additional screening or inspection at U.S. airports and other transportation hubs.