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A number of prominent global air travel hubs across the United States, including Phoenix Sky Harbor, Las Vegas's Harry Reid Airport, Seattle-Tacoma International, and Charlotte Douglas Airport in North Carolina, have decided to restrict a video from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem that blames Democratic lawmakers for the current government closure from playing at their security checkpoints.

Regulatory Concerns Raised by Aviation Authorities

Airport authorities in Phoenix, Arizona, Las Vegas, Seattle, Portland, Oregon, Charlotte, and Westchester County have declined to broadcast the video content at screening areas, stating that the clearly partisan content could breach state and federal law, including the Hatch Act of 1939, which prohibits federal employees from engaging in partisan actions.

“Congressional Democrats decline to fund the U.S. government, and as a result, many of our operations are disrupted, and most of our TSA employees are unpaid,” Noem said in the announcement.

Portland Response

The Portland airport authority noted that it “would not agree to displaying the video in its present version, as we consider the federal law explicitly forbids utilization of government resources for political aims.” It added that state regulations in Oregon prohibits public employees from promoting or opposing any political party and that agreeing to play this video would violate state law.

Harry Reid International Position

The Harry Reid International Airport also declined to show the TSA video on similar grounds, noting in a statement that “the video's message included political messaging that was inconsistent with the impartial, informational purpose of the PSAs usually displayed at checkpoint screens” and also referenced the Hatch Act.

Explaining the Hatch Act Regulations

The Hatch Act is a federal law that bans political activities by government employees to ensure that public services remain unbiased.

Additional Authority Responses

• Phoenix airport international airport explained that it “refused to display the PSA” to stay “in line with airport guidelines,” which does not allow political content.
• The Port of Seattle, which manages Sea-Tac airport, similarly declined, pointing to “the political nature of the content.”
• Charlotte airport clarified that North Carolina local regulations and the airport’s policy for digital content “do not allow the referenced video.” The authority also noted that the Transportation Security Administration lacks ownership of any screens at its security areas and that its few display monitors are designated for wayfinding, travel information, and paid advertisements.

Westchester Objection

The county, in a public comment, described the PSA “unacceptable, unacceptable, and inconsistent with the values we anticipate from our nation’s top public officials.”

“The PSA politicizes the effects of a government closure on security operations,” the county executive stated, adding that the message was “unnecessarily alarmist” and “erodes customer confidence.”

DHS Response

A Department of Homeland Security official, an agency representative, repeated Noem’s wording to blame “political gamesmanship” in a statement, adding that “Democrats will shortly recognize the importance of opening the federal government.”

Cross-Party Appeals for Resolution

The Seattle authority commented that it continued to “urge cooperative actions to resolve the government shutdown” and was working to find ways to assist government workers working without pay during the shutdown.