Texas

Multiple Texas airports are refusing to play video from DHS’ Noem blaming Democrats for government shutdown

Published

7 months ago

October 15, 2025

Multiple Texas airports are refusing to play video from DHS’ Noem blaming Democrats for government shutdown

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Multiple airports in Texas are refusing to play a video at their security checkpoints in which Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem blames Democrats for the ongoing federal government shutdown, citing advertising policies that bar the use of political content.

Airports commonly display videos from the head of homeland security on screens at Transportation Security Administration checkpoints, but these messages are usually apolitical. This changed when Department of Homeland Security officials directed TSA to display a video that begins with Noem outlining TSA’s priorities and ends with her expressing hope that “Democrats will soon recognize the importance of opening the government.”

“Democrats in Congress refuse to fund the federal government,” Noem says in the video. “Because of this, many of our operations are impacted and most of our TSA employees are working without pay.”

Spokespeople for Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, Dallas Love Field Airport, Corpus Christi International Airport and San Antonio International Airport told The Texas Tribune that the video is not on display at their TSA checkpoints.

Dallas Fort Worth International Airport’s decision to not display the video is consistent with its longstanding policy that prohibits political advertising, said Zachary Greiner, a spokesperson for the airport.

Dallas Love Field Airport’s advertising policy also “prohibits political or issue-oriented content,” said spokesperson Patrick Clarke. Additionally, the airport has not received the permit application required for such videos.

Corpus Christi International Airport and San Antonio International Airport are also not running the video at this time, according to statements from the airports that did not include explanations.

Jacquelyn Eckmann, a spokesperson for Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, said the airport’s checkpoints do not have the ability to display the video because they are not equipped with video monitors.

TSA is displaying the video at its security checkpoint at El Paso International Airport, said spokesperson Tammy Fonce.

The Houston Airport System did not respond to an inquiry about whether they were showing Noem’s message.

As of May 2022, TSA employed nearly 50,000 officers across the country, with more than 4,000 in Texas, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Most of these workers are required to work without pay during government shutdowns.

This has contributed to staffing shortages and flight delays across the country, including at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport on Monday.

DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement to The Texas Tribune that the government shutdown has created challenges for TSA employees, but that security operations are largely unchanged.

“It’s unfortunate our workforce has been put in this position due to political gamesmanship,” she said.

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Texas

North Texas father mourns wife, unborn son days before Mother’s Day

Published

12 hours ago

May 9, 2026

Press Room

North Texas father mourns wife, unborn son days before Mother’s Day

Just days before Mother’s Day, a North Texas father is grieving the sudden loss of his wife and unborn son after she died unexpectedly, only days before her due date. Avi Carey said he is still in shock over the death of his wife, Tiffany, whom he described as his “rock” and “soulmate.”

“Tiffany’s smile, her radiance, her presence … she didn’t meet a stranger,” Carey said.

Nearly two decades together

The couple had been together for nearly two decades, raising two children, Kingston and Kasyn, and preparing to welcome their third child, a baby boy they planned to name Kylo.

Carey said Tiffany began complaining of a severe headache just days before she was due to give birth. He recalled her sitting on the couch, dozing off multiple times – something he said was unusual.

A short time later, Carey found her unresponsive.

“I saw her face … her lips were blue. And I already knew,” he said with tears in his eyes.

A celebration turned to heartbreak

Tiffany Carey and her unborn son died May 2, leaving behind a grieving husband and two children. The loss came less than a week after the family had celebrated a baby shower.

“We went from celebrating the baby shower to planning a funeral in less than five days,” Carey said.

A crisis affecting Black mothers

Health officials say cases like this highlight a broader crisis. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Black women in the United States are more than three times as likely as white women to die from pregnancy‑related causes, and most of those deaths – around 80% – are considered preventable.

Carey said he is still searching for answers and now lives with questions about whether warning signs were missed.

“I would say educate yourself. Take everything seriously,” he said. “That should have been a red flag … the headache.”

Honoring Tiffany’s legacy

Now, surrounded by baby supplies meant for a child who never arrived, Carey said he is focused on honoring Tiffany’s memory and raising their children with the values she lived by.

“She always said, ‘You’ve got to lead with love,’” he said. “She did that in everything.”

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Texas

Pentagon releases UFO files with Texas sightings going back to 1948

Published

1 day ago

May 8, 2026

Press Room

Pentagon releases UFO files with Texas sightings going back to 1948

Ever look up at the vast Texas sky and see something move across it? It could be a shooting star, a satellite — or a UFO.

The Pentagon released several documents Friday, May 8, detailing sightings of unidentified flying objects, or “bogeys,” in U.S. airspace, including reports from Texas.

The documents were released by the U.S. Department of Defense at the directive of President Donald Trump, marking the release of government files related to “alien and extraterrestrial life, unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP)” and UFOs.

“These files, hidden behind classifications, have long fueled justified speculation — and it’s time the American people see it for themselves. This release of declassified documents demonstrates the Trump Administration’s earnest commitment to unprecedented transparency,” said U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth in a statement.

Here’s a look at the files related to Texas.

UFO spotted in 1948 above Abilene, Texas

A DoD incident summary shows that on Jan. 1, 1948, a man identified as “Mr. A. Schroeder” reported a UFO in the 1100 block of Highland Ave in Abilene, Texas.

Schroeder reported seeing a stationary bright blue-green bell-shaped object in the western sky above Abilene at 1:25 a.m. and 1:30 a.m.

Fort Worth man sees UFO above Alaska

Also in 1948, Lt. Aytch Johnson noticed a silver flat disk in the sky in Fairbanks, Alaska.

According to the incident report, the Fort Worth man observed the object flying over Alaska at around 1:06 p.m. on April 18, 1948, at an estimated speed of 250 to 300 miles per hour.

The report also noted that the sighting “may have been the reflection of sun from wings” of aircrafts flying in the area at the time.

Possible UFO sighting during the NASA Gemini 7 space launch

The DoD released the transcript and audio file of NASA’s Gemini 7 mission in 1965 when astronaut Frank Borman reported to NASA mission control in Houston his sighting of an unidentified object, which he referred to as a “bogey.”

While the launch didn’t take place in Texas, the report came back to space control in Houston.

The conversation occurred on Dec. 5, 1965 — 4 hours and 24 minutes into the flight — when Borman notified space control that there was a “bogey” on their left-hand side.

When asked to clarify what they are seeing, Borman said he was seeing “hundreds of little particles” on their left, about three to four miles away.

As NASA Public Affairs clarified, the bogey was an unidentified object, along with the particles.

Pentagon documents report of other possible sightings in Texas

Some documents have connections or reports of possible UFO sightings in Texas, but are missing details to understand the situation.

For example, the DoD received a clipping from the Yoakum Times-Record reporting UFO sightings by Mrs. Anna Banys in 1947, but it is unclear why she was writing to the DoD.

This is a developing story. Check back for more updates.

Mateo Rosiles is the Texas Connect reporter for USA TODAY and its regional papers in Texas. Got a news tip for him? Email him at mrosiles@usatodayco.com.

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Texas

AMBER Alert girl last seen in Texas after Louisiana abduction

Published

2 days ago

May 8, 2026

Press Room

AMBER Alert girl last seen in Texas after Louisiana abduction

An AMBER Alert has been issued for a 13-year-old girl abducted from Louisiana who was last seen in North Texas.

Merlin Chirinos-Argueta was last seen around 7:10 p.m. May 7 in Allen, Texas, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety. Authorities say the teen was abducted from Keithville, Louisiana, and may be traveling in Texas

Chirinos-Argueta is described as a 13-year-old Hispanic girl with black hair and brown eyes. She is about 5 feet 5 inches tall and weighs about 120 pounds, officials said.

The Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office said Merlin was reported missing Thursday. May 7 from the 6200 block of Bain Boulevard in Keithville. Sheriff Henry Whitehorn Sr. said investigators are asking for the public’s help in locating the teen.

Investigators believe she may be with 18-year-old Daniel Vasquez Mejia, who has black hair and brown eyes.

Merlin has not been in contact with her family, which has raised concerns for her safety and well-being, authorities said. The investigation is ongoing.

Authorities say they may be traveling in a white Chevrolet SUV with Texas license plate VML6061. The vehicle is believed to have a skull sticker on the rear driver’s side back window and a “mojo” sticker on the passenger side rear window.

Anyone with information is urged to call 911 or contact the Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office at 318-675-2170.

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