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Several key international airports across the US, including Phoenix's Sky Harbor, Harry Reid International, Seattle-Tacoma International, and Charlotte Douglas Airport in NC, have chosen to block a public service announcement from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem that faults Democratic lawmakers for the current federal government shutdown from airing at their checkpoint areas.

Legal Issues Cited by Airport Officials

Airport officials in Phoenix, Arizona, Las Vegas, Nevada, Seattle, Portland, Charlotte, North Carolina, and Westchester County have declined to display the footage at security checkpoints, stating that the overtly political messaging could violate federal and state regulations, including the Hatch Act of 1939, which prohibits federal employees from engaging in partisan actions.

“Democrats in Congress refuse 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 said in the video.

The Port of Portland Reaction

The Port of Portland noted that it “would not agree to displaying the video in its current form, as we maintain the federal law explicitly forbids utilization of government resources for political aims.” The port further stated that Oregon law bars government staff from supporting or criticizing any party affiliation and that agreeing to broadcast this content would break state law.

Harry Reid International Position

Las Vegas's Harry Reid International Airport also declined to display the security announcement on similar grounds, stating in a release that “its content contained political messaging that was inconsistent with the impartial, educational nature of the public service announcements usually displayed at checkpoint screens” and also cited the Hatch Act.

Explaining the Hatch Act

The Hatch Act is a federal law that prohibits political activities by federal employees to ensure that public services stay impartial.

Further Airport Responses

• Phoenix Sky Harbor international airport explained that it “declined to post the video” to stay “in line with airport guidelines,” which prohibits political content.
• The Seattle port authority, which operates Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, also declined, pointing to “the partisan tone of the video.”
• Charlotte Douglas International Airport clarified that North Carolina municipal law and the airport’s policy for digital content “do not allow the referenced video.” The authority also noted that the TSA does not own any screens at its checkpoints and that its few digital screens are designated for directions, travel information, and paid advertisements.

Westchester County Criticism

Westchester County, in a public comment, called the video “unacceptable, unacceptable, and inconsistent with the values we anticipate from our nation’s top public officials.”

“The public service announcement politicizes the effects of a government closure on TSA operations,” the county leader stated, adding that the tone was “overly alarming” and “erodes customer confidence.”

Homeland Security Response

A Department of Homeland Security official, an agency representative, repeated Noem’s language to attribute fault to “political gamesmanship” in a response, adding that “Democrats will shortly realize the importance of opening the government.”

Cross-Party Appeals for Solution

The Port of Seattle said that it continued to “urge cooperative actions to resolve the federal closure” and was working to find methods to support government workers working without pay during the shutdown.