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Several prominent global air travel hubs across the America, such as Phoenix Sky Harbor, Harry Reid International, Seattle-Tacoma International, and Charlotte Douglas Airport in NC, have chosen to prevent a video from Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem that faults Democrats for the continuing federal government shutdown from playing at their checkpoint areas.

Legal Issues Raised by Airport Authorities

Airport authorities in Phoenix, Las Vegas, Seattle, Washington, Portland, Charlotte, North Carolina, and Westchester County have refused to display the footage at security checkpoints, stating that the clearly partisan content could breach state and federal law, such as the Hatch Act of 1939, which bars federal employees from engaging in political campaigning.

“Democrats in Congress refuse to support funding for the federal government, and because of this, many of our functions are affected, and most of our Transportation Security Administration staff are not receiving wages,” Noem stated in the video.

Portland Reaction

The Port of Portland clarified that it “did not consent to airing the PSA in its current form, as we maintain the federal law clearly prohibits utilization of government resources for political aims.” The port further stated that state regulations in Oregon bars public employees from supporting or criticizing any party affiliation and that agreeing to broadcast this video would break state law.

Las Vegas Position

The Harry Reid International Airport also refused to display the TSA video on similar grounds, noting in a release that “the video's message included political messaging that was inconsistent with the neutral, educational purpose of the PSAs usually shown at security checkpoints” and also referenced the federal act.

Explaining the Hatch Act Regulations

The Hatch Act is a U.S. law that bans partisan actions by federal employees to guarantee that government programs stay impartial.

Additional Airport Responses

• Phoenix airport international airport explained that it “declined to post the PSA” to stay “consistent with airport policy,” which prohibits political content.
• The Port of Seattle, which manages Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, also declined, pointing to “the partisan tone of the video.”
• Charlotte Douglas International Airport clarified that state local regulations and the airport’s policy for digital content “do not permit the referenced video.” The authority also added that the TSA lacks ownership of any monitors at its checkpoints and that its few display monitors are designated for directions, flight updates, and paid advertisements.

Westchester Criticism

The county, in a statement, called the video “inappropriate, improper, and inconsistent with the standards we expect from our federal leaders.”

“The PSA politicizes the impacts of a government closure on TSA operations,” the county leader stated, noting that the message was “unnecessarily alarmist” and “erodes public trust.”

Homeland Security Reply

A Department of Homeland Security official, Tricia McLaughlin, echoed Noem’s wording to blame “political gamesmanship” in a statement, stating that “Democratic leaders will shortly realize the significance of reopening the federal government.”

Cross-Party Calls for Resolution

The Seattle authority commented that it continued to “encourage bipartisan efforts to resolve the government shutdown” and was striving to identify methods to assist federal employees working without pay during the shutdown.