San Jose is choosing not to allow partisan attacks in its airport amid an ongoing federal government shutdown.
San Jose Mineta International airport isn’t airing a video of Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem blaming Democrats for operational delays during the federal shutdown due to its political content. Oakland, San Francisco, Sacramento and Stockton have also chosen to not play Noem’s video in their airports.
“Operations at (San Jose Mineta International Airport) are continuing without disruption, so no additional messaging in the terminals is necessary,” airport spokesperson Ana Maria State told San José Spotlight. “In the event of any operational impacts, airport-specific messaging will be used to keep passengers informed and ensure they have a seamless travel experience at SJC.”
In the 37-second video, Noem said airport operations are being impacted and federal Transportation Security Administration (TSA) employees are working without pay because “Democrats in Congress refuse to fund the federal government.” This video is playing at TSA checkpoints in airports such as Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County and Marquette Sawyer Regional airports in Michigan. Airports received the video last week, and multiple locations got a verbal request from Department of Homeland Security officials to air the video.
San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan said the city isn’t in the business of politicizing basic public services.
“Operations at the airport are continuing without disruption,” Mahan told San José Spotlight. “If that changes, airport-specific messaging will inform travelers of any interruptions to service in ways that comply with the Hatch Act.”
The Hatch Act, passed in 1939, limits federal employees from engaging in certain political activities to uphold a nonpartisan administration.
The federal government shutdown began Oct. 1 after Senate Democrats and Republicans couldn’t come into an agreement on funding health care. Democrats wanted to continue the Affordable Care Act health insurance subsidies for people on those plans. Without these tax credits, premiums would more than double for about 24 million people if Congress fails to renew the subsidy payments that expire Dec. 31, according to an analysis done by health policy research nonprofit Kaiser Family Foundation.
The shutdown has halted routine operations and left some airports scrambling with flight disruptions. The TSA falls under the Department of Homeland Security, and roughly 61,000 of the agency’s 64,130 employees are required to continue working during the shutdown.
“A government shutdown, or shutting down the special education department, or letting people go — all of these things really mean that they’re trying to limit access, resources and services to a very needy population and move towards privatization,” Tomara Hall, director of gender equity for the Santa Clara County Democratic Party executive board, told San José Spotlight.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
Contact Joyce Chu at [email protected] or @joyce_speaks on X.