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A number of key international airports 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 opted to restrict a public service announcement from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem that attributes responsibility to Democrats for the current federal government shutdown from playing at their checkpoint areas.

Regulatory Concerns Cited by Airport Officials

Airport authorities in Phoenix, Arizona, Las Vegas, Nevada, Seattle, Washington, Portland, Oregon, Charlotte, and Westchester County have declined to broadcast the video content at screening areas, stating that the overtly political messaging could breach state and federal law, including the Hatch Act, which bars federal employees from participating in partisan political activity.

“Democrats in Congress decline to fund the U.S. government, and as a result, many of our operations are impacted, and most of our Transportation Security Administration workers are unpaid,” the Secretary stated in the announcement.

Portland Response

The Portland airport authority clarified that it “would not agree to playing the video in its current form, as we consider the federal law clearly prohibits utilization of government resources for political aims.” The port further stated that state regulations in Oregon bars government staff from promoting or opposing any party affiliation and that consenting to broadcast this video would break Oregon law.

Harry Reid International Position

The Harry Reid International Airport also declined to show the TSA video on comparable reasons, noting in a release that “the video's message contained political messaging that did not align with the impartial, educational purpose of the public service announcements usually shown at checkpoint screens” and also referenced the federal act.

Understanding the Hatch Act

The Hatch Act is a federal law that prohibits partisan actions by government employees to ensure that government programs stay unbiased.

Additional Authority Rejections

• Phoenix airport international airport stated that it “declined to display the video” to stay “in line with airport policy,” which prohibits political content.
• The Port of Seattle, which manages Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, similarly refused, citing “the political nature of the content.”
• Charlotte airport said that state local regulations and the airport's rules for digital content “do not allow the referenced video.” The authority also added that the TSA does not own any screens at its security areas and that its few digital screens are designated for wayfinding, travel information, and paid advertisements.

Westchester County Objection

Westchester County, in a statement, described the video “unacceptable, unacceptable, 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, adding that the tone was “overly alarming” and “erodes customer confidence.”

DHS Reply

A Department of Homeland Security assistant secretary, Tricia McLaughlin, echoed Noem’s wording to blame “political gamesmanship” in a statement, adding that “Democratic leaders will soon realize the importance of reopening the government.”

Cross-Party Calls for Resolution

The Seattle authority commented that it continued to “encourage bipartisan efforts to resolve the government shutdown” and was working to find methods to assist government workers unpaid during the shutdown.