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A number of prominent global airports across the US, including Phoenix's Sky Harbor, Las Vegas's Harry Reid Airport, Seattle-Tacoma International, and Charlotte Douglas in NC, have decided to block a video from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem that blames Democrats for the ongoing federal government shutdown from being shown at their checkpoint areas.

Regulatory Issues Cited by Airport Authorities

Airport officials in Phoenix, Las Vegas, Nevada, Seattle, Washington, Portland, Oregon, Charlotte, and Westchester, New York have refused to broadcast the footage at security checkpoints, stating that the clearly partisan content could contravene state and federal law, including the Hatch Act of 1939, which forbids federal employees from participating in partisan actions.

“Democratic legislators decline to support funding for the federal government, and as a result, many of our functions are disrupted, and most of our TSA staff are working without pay,” Noem said in the video.

The Port of Portland Reaction

The Port of Portland clarified that it “did not consent to displaying the PSA in its present version, as we consider the federal law clearly prohibits use of public assets for partisan messaging.” The port further stated that state regulations in Oregon prohibits government staff from promoting or opposing any political party and that consenting to play this content would violate Oregon law.

Las Vegas Position

The Harry Reid International Airport also declined to show the security announcement on comparable reasons, stating in a statement that “the video's message included political messaging that was inconsistent with the impartial, educational nature of the public service announcements typically displayed at security checkpoints” and also cited the Hatch Act.

Understanding the Hatch Act Regulations

The Hatch Act is a U.S. law that prohibits political activities by federal employees to guarantee that public services remain non-partisan.

Additional Authority Responses

• Phoenix Sky Harbor airport stated that it “declined to post the video” to stay “consistent with airport guidelines,” which prohibits political content.
• The Seattle port authority, which operates Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, also declined, pointing to “the political nature of the video.”
• Charlotte Douglas International Airport clarified that state local regulations and the airport's rules for digital content “do not allow the video in question.” The airport also noted that the Transportation Security Administration does not own any screens at its security areas and that its limited display monitors are designated for wayfinding, travel information, and revenue-generating services.

Westchester County Criticism

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

“The public service announcement politicizes the effects of a government closure on TSA operations,” the county executive stated, adding that the tone was “overly alarming” and “erodes customer confidence.”

DHS Reply

A Department of Homeland Security official, Tricia McLaughlin, repeated the Secretary's wording to blame “political gamesmanship” in a statement, stating that “Democrats will shortly recognize the importance of reopening the federal government.”

Cross-Party Appeals for Solution

The Seattle authority said that it continued to “encourage bipartisan efforts to end the government shutdown” and was working to identify ways to support government workers working without pay during the closure.