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Several key global airports across the United States, including Phoenix Sky Harbor, Harry Reid International, Seattle–Tacoma, and Charlotte Douglas in NC, have chosen to block a public service announcement from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem that faults Democrats for the current federal government shutdown from airing at their security checkpoints.

Legal Issues Cited by Aviation Officials

Airport officials in Phoenix, Las Vegas, Seattle, Portland, Oregon, Charlotte, and Westchester, New York have declined to show the footage at security checkpoints, stating that the political statements could violate federal and state regulations, including the Hatch Act of 1939, which bars government workers from engaging in partisan actions.

“Democratic legislators refuse to support funding for the federal government, and because of this, many of our operations are affected, and most of our Transportation Security Administration employees are not receiving wages,” Noem remarked in the video.

The Port of Portland Reaction

The Portland airport authority noted that it “would not agree to displaying the PSA in its current form, as we maintain the federal law clearly prohibits use of public assets for partisan messaging.” The port further stated that state regulations in Oregon bars public employees from promoting or opposing any political party and that agreeing to play this content would break state law.

Las Vegas Statement

Las Vegas's Harry Reid International Airport also declined to show the security announcement on similar grounds, saying in a statement that “its content contained political messaging that was inconsistent with the neutral, educational nature of the public service announcements usually displayed at checkpoint screens” and also referenced the federal act.

Understanding the Hatch Act Regulations

The Hatch Act of 1939 is a federal law that bans partisan actions by federal employees to guarantee that public services stay non-partisan.

Additional Authority Responses

• Phoenix airport international airport stated that it “declined to post the PSA” to stay “consistent with airport policy,” which prohibits political content.
• The Port of Seattle, which operates Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, also refused, citing “the partisan tone of the content.”
• Charlotte airport said that North Carolina municipal law and the airport's rules for screen content “do not allow the referenced video.” The airport also noted that the TSA lacks ownership of any monitors at its security areas and that its few digital screens are designated for directions, flight updates, and revenue-generating services.

Westchester Objection

Westchester County, in a public comment, called the video “inappropriate, unacceptable, and out of line with the standards we expect from our nation’s top public officials.”

“The PSA makes political the effects of a federal government shutdown on TSA operations,” the county executive stated, adding that the tone was “unnecessarily alarmist” and “undermines customer confidence.”

DHS Reply

A DHS assistant secretary, Tricia McLaughlin, echoed Noem’s wording to blame “partisan tactics” in a response, stating that “Democrats will shortly realize the importance of reopening the government.”

Cross-Party Appeals for Resolution

The Port of Seattle commented that it continued to “encourage bipartisan efforts to resolve the federal closure” and was striving to find methods to assist federal employees working without pay during the shutdown.