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Love Field, DFW Airport won't show video blaming Democrats for government shutdown

Travelers make their way to their gates Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2023, at DFW International Airport.
Yfat Yossifor
/
KERA
Travelers make their way to their gates at DFW International Airport in this 2023 file photo.

Dallas Love Field and Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport are among a growing list of airports nationwide that won’t show a video of Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem blaming Democrats for flight delays due to the ongoing government shutdown.

The shutdown, which is entering its third week, has impacted air travel, causing flight delays and cancellations at airports across the country.

The video, labeled as a "public service announcement," was released last week and first obtained by Fox News.

"It is TSA's top priority to make sure that you have the most pleasant and efficient airport experience as possible while we keep you safe," Noem says in the video. "However, Democrats in Congress refuse to fund the federal government, and because of this, many of our operations are impacted, and most of our TSA employees are working without pay."

In a statement to KERA, Zachary Greiner, a spokesperson for DFW, said it is not displaying the video "consistent with the airport's longstanding policy."

Greiner referred to the airport's advertising policy, adopted in 2005, which prohibits "political, social and religious advertising" in any of its public facilities.

"The Airport is not a public forum, and it is the intent of the Airport Board not to designate the Airport's advertising facilities as a public forum for the dissemination, debate or discussion of political, social or religious issues," the policy reads.

Patrick Clarke, a spokesperson for Dallas' city-owned Love Field airport, said its policy prohibits displaying the video for the same reasons.

"All received requests must comply with airport advertising policies, and the policy prohibits political or issue-oriented content," Clarke said.

Clarke added that all requests for terminal displays require an approved activity permit application.

"Our team has not received an application for the video request," he said.

Other major airports that have said they won’t show the video include LaGuardia and John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas, according to CNN.

Pablo Arauz Peña is KERA’s growth and infrastructure reporter. Got a tip? Email Pablo at parauzpena@kera.org.

KERA News is made possible through the generosity of our members. If you find this reporting valuable, consider making a tax-deductible gift today. Thank you.

Pablo Arauz Peña is the Growth and Infrastructure Reporter for KERA News.