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A number of key international airports across the United States, such as Phoenix Sky Harbor, Harry Reid International, Seattle-Tacoma International, and Charlotte Douglas in North Carolina, have decided to prevent a public service announcement from Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem that faults Democratic lawmakers for the current government closure from being shown at their checkpoint areas.

Regulatory Issues Cited by Aviation Authorities

Aviation administrators in Phoenix, Arizona, Las Vegas, Nevada, Seattle, Portland, Charlotte, and Westchester County have refused to show the footage at security checkpoints, stating that the political statements could breach federal and state regulations, such as the Hatch Act of 1939, which forbids federal employees from engaging in partisan actions.

“Democrats in Congress refuse to finance the U.S. government, and as a result, many of our functions are affected, and most of our TSA staff are working without pay,” Noem stated in the video.

Portland Response

The Portland airport authority clarified that it “would not agree to airing the PSA in its present version, as we maintain the Hatch Act clearly prohibits use of public assets for political aims.” It added that Oregon law prohibits public employees from promoting or opposing any political party and that agreeing to play this video would violate Oregon law.

Las Vegas Position

The Harry Reid airport also declined to display the security announcement on similar grounds, saying in a release that “the video's message contained partisan statements that did not align with the impartial, informational nature of the PSAs usually displayed at security checkpoints” and also referenced the federal act.

Explaining the Hatch Act

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

Further Authority Rejections

• Phoenix airport airport stated that it “refused to display the video” to stay “in line with airport guidelines,” which does not allow political content.
• The Seattle port authority, which manages Sea-Tac airport, similarly refused, citing “the partisan tone of the content.”
• Charlotte Douglas International Airport clarified that state local regulations and the airport's rules for digital content “do not permit the video in question.” The authority also added that the TSA lacks ownership of any screens at its checkpoints and that its few display monitors are reserved for wayfinding, travel information, and paid advertisements.

Westchester Objection

The county, in a public comment, described the video “unacceptable, unacceptable, and inconsistent with the values we anticipate from our federal leaders.”

“The PSA politicizes the impacts of a federal government shutdown on security operations,” the county executive stated, adding that the message was “overly alarming” and “erodes customer confidence.”

DHS Reply

A DHS assistant secretary, Tricia McLaughlin, echoed the Secretary's wording to blame “political gamesmanship” in a statement, stating that “Democrats will shortly recognize the importance of opening the government.”

Cross-Party Appeals for Solution

The Seattle authority said that it continued to “urge bipartisan efforts to end the federal closure” and was working to find methods to assist federal employees unpaid during the shutdown.