Airports Refuse DHS Shutdown Video

The government shutdown entered its 24th day after the Senate rejected a Republican bill 55-45 to fund pay for some essential federal workers, prompting Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy to warn holiday travel could face delays or cancellations if air traffic controllers and other staff do not report. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem recorded a video blaming Democrats for the shutdown and its effects on TSA operations that DHS sought to have aired in airports nationwide. Dozens of airports — including John Wayne, Long Beach, New York, Atlanta, Chicago, Las Vegas, Charlotte, Phoenix and Seattle — have refused to play the clip, citing political-neutrality policies and potential Hatch Act violations. DHS spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin defended the message as reflecting the workforce's plight and said the video is being rolled out to airports. The shutdown, now the second-longest in U.S. history, has left about 61,000 of roughly 64,130 TSA employees working without pay, straining operations and raising broader concerns about service disruptions if funding gaps persist.