Miami airport blocks Homeland Secretary Noem video blaming Democrats for shutdown

Add Miami International Airport to the list of airports that aren’t airing Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s video blaming Democrats for the ongoing shutdown of the federal government.

Noem’s video is meant to replace the traditional message from Homeland secretaries welcoming passengers to federal security screening areas. Some airports — including Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International — are refusing to play the video, which has been criticized for misusing federal dollars to impose a partisan message on passengers waiting to be screened at Transportation Security Administration checkpoints.

“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,” Noem tells passengers in the video that began broadcasting in airports across the country last week. “We will continue to do all that we can to avoid delays that will impact your travel, and our hope is that Democrats will soon recognize the importance of opening the government.”

Miami-Dade’s Democratic mayor, Daniella Levine Cava, oversees MIA. An airport spokesperson cited county policy regulating airport communications in saying the video wouldn’t be seen at MIA.

“At MIA, we deeply value and support our TSA partners and the vital role they play in ensuring the safety of our passengers every day,” MIA spokesperson Greg Chin said in a statement.

CBS reports that airports in Charlotte, North Carolina; New York City; Portland, Oregon; Phoenix; Seattle and other metro areas are also not playing the video.

Democrats in the U.S. Senate have declined to provide the votes needed to pass legislation to continue day-to-day funding of the federal government, instead demanding Republican action on expiring subsidies for healthcare coverage commonly known as Obamacare.

MIA cites county policy in declining to air Noem shutdown video

In declining to air the Noem video, Chin cited airport policy on “First Amendment activities” at the airport, as well a section governing notice required for people wanting to hand out flyers or make a speech at MIA — rules governing protests, union organizers and people wanting to address groups of people there.

“We remain fully supportive of TSA’s mission and continue to collaborate closely with them in serving our shared customers,” Chin said in the statement.

Is the TSA Noem video on the shutdown playing at the FLL airport?

Arlene Satchell, a spokesperson for the FLL airport in Broward County, said Noem’s message violated the county-owned facility’s rules. “Our advertising policy does not permit political messaging to be displayed in our facility,” she said.

The Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood airport is overseen by the Democrat-led County Commission in Broward.