Former FAA Official Shannetta Griffin Appointed to Lead Maryland Aviation Administration
Maryland Transportation Secretary Paul Wiedefeld named Shannetta Griffin as the new executive director and CEO of the Maryland Aviation Administration (MAA), which oversees the management, operations, and maintenance of BWI Airport, Baltimore County’s Martin State Airport, and the state’s regional aviation assistance program.
Gov. Wes Moore (D) touted this appointment with pride.
“Her leadership will take Maryland to new heights, ensuring our airports continue to generate economic growth and provide safe, reliable, and convenient travel experiences,” Moore wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
Griffin has decades of experience as a professional engineer. She was previously appointed as the associate administrator of Airports for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on June 7, 2021, by former President Joe Biden (D) and Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg.
She also served as the chief commercial officer for the Columbus Regional Airport Authority.
“I have full confidence in Shannetta to lead MAA and help grow BWI Marshall Airport, one of Maryland’s most significant economic engines,” said Transportation Secretary Paul Wiedefeld following her April 4 appointment. “Her proven leadership and commitment to promoting safety, fostering economic growth and providing premiere customer service ensures BWI Marshall remains one of the top airports in the region.”
Federal Judge Rules Prince George’s Resident Illegally Deported to El Salvador, Community Rallies for Return
Dozens gathered at the Greenbelt courthouse to hear the ruling for Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia, a Hyattsville resident who was deported to El Salvador by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, awaiting to learn if he could return to his family. Cheers erupted upon District Judge Paula Xinis’ ruling to bring him home. President Donald Trump (R) has asked the Supreme Court to block this ruling.
Immigrant advocacy and assistance organization CASA de Maryland demanded the return of Abrego Garcia, who was given legal protections in 2019 based on fear of danger if he were returned to El Salvador.
“CASA is outraged that ICE deported CASA member Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia in violation of a court order and at grave personal danger. In 2019, a judge issued an order prohibiting the government from deporting Kilmar to El Salvador based on the risk of persecution Kilmar would confront if returned to El Salvador. That order still stands,” said CASA in a public statement. “Yet, in an act that they now refer to as an ‘administrative error,’ ICE ignored that court order, and disappeared him into a notorious Salvadoran prison. Kilmar joined three planeloads of deportees; many of whom – like Kilmar – have never been charged with a crime.”
Xinis’ ruling emphasizes Abrego Garcia’s swift return home.
“If there was ever a case for an emergency stay pending appeal, this would be it. Abrego Garcia is presently being held in El Salvador, by the El Salvadoran government. The United States does not have control over Abrego Garcia. Or the sovereign nation of El Salvador,” read the federal judge’s ruling. “Nevertheless, the court’s injunction commands that… somehow, Abrego Garcia’s return to the United States in— give or take— one business day. That order is indefensible.”
