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Several prominent global airports across the United States, including Phoenix Sky Harbor, Harry Reid International, Seattle-Tacoma International, and Charlotte Douglas in NC, have decided to prevent a video from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem that attributes responsibility to Democrats for the current government closure from airing at their screening locations.

Regulatory Issues Raised by Airport Officials

Airport officials in Phoenix, Las Vegas, Seattle, Washington, Portland, Charlotte, and Westchester, New York have refused to broadcast the video content at screening areas, stating that the political statements could violate federal and state regulations, including the Hatch Act, which forbids federal employees from engaging in political campaigning.

“Congressional Democrats refuse to finance the U.S. government, and as a result, many of our activities are disrupted, and most of our Transportation Security Administration staff are not receiving wages,” the Secretary stated in the announcement.

Portland Response

The Portland airport authority noted that it “did not consent to playing the video in its current form, as we consider the Hatch Act clearly prohibits utilization of government resources for partisan messaging.” The port further stated that Oregon law bars public employees from promoting or opposing any political party and that consenting to broadcast this video would violate Oregon law.

Las Vegas Statement

The Harry Reid airport also declined to show the security announcement on comparable reasons, noting in a statement that “the video's message contained political messaging that was inconsistent with the impartial, educational nature of the PSAs typically displayed at security checkpoints” and also cited the federal act.

Explaining the Hatch Act Regulations

The Hatch Act of 1939 is a federal law that bans political activities by government employees to guarantee that public services stay impartial.

Additional Authority Rejections

• Phoenix airport international airport stated that it “refused to display the video” to remain “consistent with airport policy,” which does not allow political content.
• The Port of Seattle, which operates Sea-Tac airport, similarly refused, pointing to “the political nature of the video.”
• Charlotte Douglas International Airport said that state municipal law and the airport’s policy for digital content “do not allow the video in question.” The airport also added that the TSA lacks ownership of any screens at its security areas and that its limited digital screens are reserved for wayfinding, flight updates, and paid advertisements.

Westchester County Objection

The county, in a statement, described the video “unacceptable, improper, and out of line with the values we anticipate from our nation’s top public officials.”

“The public service announcement politicizes the impacts of a government closure on TSA operations,” the county leader stated, adding that the tone was “unnecessarily alarmist” and “erodes public trust.”

DHS Reply

A Department of Homeland Security assistant secretary, Tricia McLaughlin, echoed the Secretary's language to blame “partisan tactics” in a statement, stating that “Democratic leaders will shortly recognize the significance of reopening the federal government.”

Bipartisan Calls for Resolution

The Seattle authority commented that it continued to “urge bipartisan efforts to resolve the government shutdown” and was striving to find methods to assist government workers working without pay during the closure.