As part of government-wide efforts to comply with President Donald Trump's new policies, transgender officers working for the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), the premier security force at U.S. airports, will no longer be permitted to conduct pat-downs of travelers.
Documents prepared by the Department of Homeland Security, TSA's parent federal agency, and obtained by Newsmax show "talking points" concerning the new TSA policy were distributed by email to TSA security directors early Friday morning. The email was signed by Mike Turner, the agency's deputy assistant administrator for domestic aviation operations.
Turner did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The email specified that the talking points were being issued as guidance in furtherance of Executive Order 14168, signed by Trump and 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 attached talking points read.
The document emphasized that transgender TSA personnel will continue to be eligible to perform "all other security screening functions at the checkpoint," and sought to reassure the relatively small population of such officers that they would not face additional restrictions.
"Transgender TSOs [transportation security officers] relieved of pat-down duties will not be adversely affected in their ability to be selected for supervisory positions or receive recognitions, bonuses, performance awards, promotions, or other increases in salary, benefits, or responsibilities," the talking points read.
Pledging to "work through this transition," the TSA document offered to place any employee who requests as much in touch with the agency's Office of Civil Rights and Liberties, specifically the Ombudsman and Traveler Engagement section.
"Every leader and employee is expected to model TSA's Core Values of Respect, Integrity, and Commitment with each other and the public we serve, and [to] treat all fellow TSA employees with equal dignity [and] respect, and in a fair manner," the talking points read.
Executive order 14168 declared that it is the policy of the federal government to recognize only two sexes (male and female) and that those genders are assigned at birth.
"These sexes are not changeable and are grounded in fundamental and incontrovertible reality," President Trump stated in the order. "Under my direction, the Executive Branch will enforce all sex-protective laws to promote this reality."
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