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Several major international air travel hubs across the United States, including Phoenix's Sky Harbor, Harry Reid International, Seattle–Tacoma, and Charlotte Douglas in NC, have decided to restrict a video from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem that blames Democrats for the continuing federal government shutdown from airing at their checkpoint areas.

Legal Issues Raised by Airport Authorities

Airport authorities in Phoenix, Arizona, Las Vegas, Nevada, Seattle, Washington, Portland, Oregon, Charlotte, and Westchester County have refused to show the footage at screening areas, stating that the overtly political messaging could violate state and federal law, such as the Hatch Act of 1939, which bars government workers from engaging in political campaigning.

“Congressional Democrats decline to fund the U.S. government, and because of this, many of our functions are affected, and most of our TSA workers are unpaid,” the Secretary stated in the announcement.

Portland Response

The Portland airport authority explained that it “did not consent to playing the video in its present version, as we consider the Hatch Act clearly prohibits use of public assets for political aims.” The port further stated that Oregon law bars public employees from promoting or opposing any political party and that agreeing to play this video would break state law.

Las Vegas Position

The Harry Reid airport also refused to show the TSA video on similar grounds, saying in a statement that “its content included partisan statements that did not align with the impartial, educational nature of the PSAs typically shown at checkpoint screens” and also cited the Hatch Act.

Explaining the Hatch Act Regulations

The Hatch Act of 1939 is a U.S. law that prohibits partisan actions by federal employees to guarantee that public services stay unbiased.

Additional Airport Responses

• Phoenix Sky Harbor airport explained that it “declined to display the PSA” to stay “consistent with airport guidelines,” which prohibits partisan material.
• The Seattle port authority, which manages Sea-Tac airport, similarly declined, pointing to “the political nature of the video.”
• Charlotte airport clarified that state municipal law and the airport’s policy for screen content “do not permit the referenced video.” 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 directions, flight updates, and revenue-generating services.

Westchester Criticism

The county, in a public comment, called the PSA “unacceptable, improper, and out of line with the values we anticipate from our federal leaders.”

“The public service announcement politicizes the impacts of a federal government shutdown on security operations,” the county leader said, adding that the tone was “unnecessarily alarmist” and “undermines customer confidence.”

Homeland Security Reply

A Department of Homeland Security official, Tricia McLaughlin, repeated the Secretary's wording to attribute fault to “political gamesmanship” in a statement, adding that “Democrats will soon realize the significance of opening the government.”

Bipartisan Appeals for Solution

The Port of Seattle commented that it continued to “encourage cooperative actions to resolve the federal closure” and was striving to identify ways to assist federal employees unpaid during the closure.