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What happened to the gift cards?
During a Department of Homeland Security funding lapse, Tyler Perry arranged a distribution of $1,000 gift cards to TSA workers at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. WSB-TV reported on March 30, 2026, that employees were being asked to return them over federal ethics concerns. WSB-TV’s initial report described the request as it was understood at the time.
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A later account reversed the practical outcome. The April 1 DHS morning briefing reproduced a USA TODAY report from March 31 saying Perry’s spokesperson reported that TSA legal counsel approved the donation. The spokesperson said about 100 cards had been returned to TSA supervisors amid confusion, then were returned to employees. The briefing also said TSA officers began receiving back pay that week. The DHS briefing is the source for the reproduced account.
Why did reports say different things?
The reports describe different points in the story, rather than two confirmed final outcomes. WSB-TV’s March 30 article covered the initial request to return the cards. The later USA TODAY account, as reproduced by DHS, described a reported clarification and the return of cards to employees.
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Perry’s spokesperson was quoted as saying: “At one point there was confusion over a return of about 100 gift cards from employees to TSA supervisors, but Tyler’s team reconfirmed this morning that TSA’s legal counsel approved the donation.” This is the spokesperson’s account, not a direct TSA quote.
What is known about the ethics question?
WSB-TV cited federal ethics rules that restrict government employees from accepting certain gifts connected to their official positions. The Office of Personnel Management says merchant gift certificates have monetary value and that agencies may use them for informal recognition awards only up to nominal value. That guidance addresses agency awards; it does not decide whether this outside donation was permissible or explain the legal basis for approval in this case. OPM’s awards guidance is general, not a case-specific ruling.
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The later report attributes approval to TSA legal counsel through Perry’s representative. The available account does not include a direct TSA public statement or the underlying written legal determination, so the reported approval should not be presented as an independently documented TSA explanation.
How the cards fit into the backpay timeline
The gift-card story unfolded during a DHS funding lapse that left many TSA employees working without pay. On March 25, 2026, TSA Acting Administrator Ha Nguyen McNeill told the House Committee on Homeland Security that around 95% of the workforce—more than 61,000 employees—were deemed essential and had to continue working without pay. She testified that TSA employees had worked 87 days without pay in fiscal year 2026 as of that date, and projected delayed payroll would approach $1 billion by March 27. The projection was not a final audited total. The committee hearing page contains her testimony.
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WSB-TV reported on March 30 that more than 450 TSA officers had quit since the partial shutdown began in mid-February. That is a contemporaneous figure reported by the station, not a later cumulative count. The DHS briefing said officers began receiving backpay during the week of its April 1 publication.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Frequently Asked Questions
Did TSA employees have to return Tyler Perry’s $1,000 gift cards?
The initial March 30 report said employees were being asked to return them. A later report said the request was confusion, TSA legal counsel had approved the donation, and returned cards were given back to employees.
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Can TSA workers keep the gift cards?
The later account reported that employees received back cards and could keep them, based on information from Perry’s representative. The available coverage does not include a direct TSA statement or the underlying legal determination.
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