NEWARK, NJ — If you’re traveling into New Jersey or New York’s airports this weekend, you might notice something different. There will not be any transgendered employees physically patting down passengers, thanks to a new executive order by President Donald J. Trump.
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) will no longer allow transgender officers to conduct passenger pat-downs as part of a policy shift following President Donald Trump’s recent executive order on gender policies in federal agencies.
Internal documents from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), obtained by Newsmax, show that TSA security directors received formal guidance on the policy early Friday morning. The email, signed by Mike Turner, the deputy assistant administrator for domestic aviation operations, outlined compliance measures in response to Executive Order 14168, titled “Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government.”
“To comply with the executive order, transgender officers shall no longer perform pat-downs on travelers,” the guidance stated. TSA confirmed the new policy but did not provide further comment.
The document clarified that transgender officers would still be eligible to perform other screening duties at airport checkpoints. It also assured affected employees that their career prospects would not be impacted, stating that those relieved of pat-down duties would remain eligible for supervisory positions, bonuses, performance awards, and promotions.
TSA also pledged to assist employees in adapting to the new policy, offering to connect personnel with the agency’s Office of Civil Rights and Liberties, including the Ombudsman and Traveler Engagement section.
The policy change marks a significant shift in TSA procedures, aligning the agency’s operations with the broader directives outlined in Trump’s executive order.