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Several key international air travel hubs across the America, among them Phoenix Sky Harbor, Las Vegas's Harry Reid Airport, Seattle-Tacoma International, and Charlotte Douglas Airport in NC, have chosen to block a public service announcement from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem that faults Democratic lawmakers for the current federal government shutdown from playing at their checkpoint areas.

Regulatory Issues Cited by Airport Officials

Aviation administrators in Phoenix, Las Vegas, Seattle, Washington, Portland, Charlotte, North Carolina, and Westchester County have declined to broadcast the footage at security checkpoints, stating that the clearly partisan content could contravene state and federal law, such as the Hatch Act, which forbids government workers from participating in partisan political activity.

“Congressional Democrats decline to support funding for the federal government, and as a result, many of our functions are affected, and most of our TSA staff are unpaid,” Noem remarked in the video.

The Port of Portland Response

The Port of Portland noted that it “did not consent to displaying the video in its current form, as we consider the federal law clearly prohibits utilization of government resources for political purposes.” It added that state regulations in Oregon prohibits public employees from supporting or criticizing any party affiliation and that consenting to broadcast this content would break state law.

Harry Reid International Statement

The Harry Reid International Airport also refused to display the security announcement on similar grounds, noting in a statement that “the video's message contained partisan statements that was inconsistent with the impartial, informational purpose of the PSAs usually displayed at security checkpoints” and also cited the Hatch Act.

Understanding the Hatch Act Regulations

The Hatch Act of 1939 is a U.S. law that forbids political activities by government employees to guarantee that public services stay unbiased.

Further Airport Rejections

• Phoenix airport international airport stated that it “declined to display the PSA” to stay “in line with airport policy,” which does not allow partisan material.
• The Port of Seattle, which operates Sea-Tac airport, similarly declined, citing “the partisan tone of the content.”
• Charlotte Douglas International Airport clarified that North Carolina local regulations and the airport’s policy for screen content “do not allow the referenced video.” The airport also added that the Transportation Security Administration does not own any screens at its checkpoints and that its limited digital screens are designated for wayfinding, flight updates, and paid advertisements.

Westchester County Criticism

Westchester County, in a public comment, described the video “inappropriate, improper, and inconsistent with the values we expect from our nation’s top public officials.”

“The public service announcement makes political the effects of a government closure on TSA operations,” the county leader stated, adding that the message was “overly alarming” and “erodes public trust.”

DHS Reply

A DHS assistant secretary, Tricia McLaughlin, repeated Noem’s wording to blame “partisan tactics” in a statement, stating that “Democrats will shortly realize the significance of opening the government.”

Bipartisan Appeals for Resolution

The Seattle authority said that it continued to “encourage bipartisan efforts to end the government shutdown” and was working to identify ways to assist government workers unpaid during the closure.