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Several prominent global air travel hubs across the US, among them Phoenix's Sky Harbor, Las Vegas's Harry Reid Airport, Seattle-Tacoma International, and Charlotte Douglas Airport in North Carolina, have chosen to block a public service announcement from Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem that blames Democratic lawmakers for the continuing federal government shutdown from playing at their checkpoint areas.

Regulatory Concerns Raised by Aviation Officials

Airport authorities in Phoenix, Arizona, Las Vegas, Nevada, Seattle, Portland, Oregon, Charlotte, and Westchester, New York have refused to show the video content at security checkpoints, stating that the overtly political messaging could contravene federal and state regulations, including the Hatch Act of 1939, which bars government workers from engaging in political campaigning.

“Democratic legislators refuse to finance the federal government, and because of this, many of our functions are affected, and most of our Transportation Security Administration employees are not receiving wages,” the Secretary said in the announcement.

Portland Reaction

The Portland airport authority noted that it “did not consent to playing the PSA in its present version, as we believe the Hatch Act explicitly forbids use of public assets for political purposes.” The port further stated that Oregon law bars government staff from promoting or opposing any party affiliation and that agreeing to play this content would violate state law.

Harry Reid International Statement

Las Vegas's Harry Reid International Airport also declined to display the TSA video on comparable reasons, saying in a statement that “the video's message included political messaging that was inconsistent with the neutral, informational purpose of the PSAs typically displayed at checkpoint screens” and also cited the federal act.

Understanding the Hatch Act

The Hatch Act is a federal law that forbids political activities by government employees to ensure that government programs stay impartial.

Further Authority Rejections

• Phoenix airport international airport stated that it “declined to post the PSA” to remain “consistent with airport guidelines,” which prohibits political content.
• The Port of Seattle, which manages Sea-Tac airport, also refused, pointing to “the political nature of the content.”
• Charlotte Douglas International Airport said that North Carolina local regulations and the airport's rules for screen content “do not allow the referenced video.” The airport also added that the TSA does not own any monitors at its checkpoints and that its limited digital screens are reserved for directions, flight updates, and paid advertisements.

Westchester Objection

Westchester County, in a public comment, described the video “inappropriate, improper, and out of line with the values we anticipate from our federal leaders.”

“The PSA politicizes the effects of a government closure on security operations,” the county executive stated, noting that the tone was “overly alarming” and “erodes public trust.”

Homeland Security Response

A DHS assistant secretary, an agency representative, repeated Noem’s wording to blame “partisan tactics” in a response, adding that “Democratic leaders will shortly realize the significance of reopening the federal government.”

Bipartisan Appeals for Solution

The Seattle authority commented that it continued to “urge bipartisan efforts to end the federal closure” and was working to find methods to assist federal employees working without pay during the closure.