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Several major international air travel hubs across the United States, among them Phoenix Sky Harbor, Harry Reid International, Seattle–Tacoma, and Charlotte Douglas in North Carolina, have decided to block a public service announcement from Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem that blames Democratic lawmakers for the current federal government shutdown from airing at their security checkpoints.

Regulatory Concerns Raised by Airport Authorities

Airport officials in Phoenix, Las Vegas, Nevada, Seattle, Portland, Charlotte, and Westchester, New York have refused to broadcast the video content at security checkpoints, stating that the overtly political messaging could violate federal and state regulations, such as the Hatch Act of 1939, which forbids government workers from engaging in partisan political activity.

“Congressional Democrats decline to fund 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,” Noem remarked in the video.

The Port of Portland Reaction

The Port of Portland explained that it “would not agree to playing the PSA in its current form, as we believe the federal law clearly prohibits utilization of government resources for political purposes.” The port further stated that Oregon law bars public employees from promoting or opposing any party affiliation and that consenting to play this content would violate Oregon law.

Harry Reid International Position

Las Vegas's Harry Reid International Airport also refused to display the security announcement on similar grounds, noting in a release that “its content included partisan statements that did not align with the neutral, informational nature of the PSAs typically shown at checkpoint screens” and also referenced the Hatch Act.

Understanding the Hatch Act

The Hatch Act is a U.S. law that bans political activities by federal employees to ensure that public services remain impartial.

Further Airport Rejections

• Phoenix airport international airport explained that it “refused to post the video” to stay “in line with airport guidelines,” which prohibits political content.
• The Port of Seattle, which manages Sea-Tac airport, similarly refused, citing “the partisan tone of the video.”
• Charlotte Douglas International Airport said that state local regulations and the airport’s policy for screen content “do not allow the video in question.” The airport also noted that the Transportation Security Administration does not own any screens at its checkpoints and that its limited digital screens are designated for directions, travel information, and paid advertisements.

Westchester County Objection

The county, in a public comment, called the video “inappropriate, improper, and out of line with the standards we expect from our nation’s top public officials.”

“The PSA politicizes the impacts of a federal government shutdown on TSA operations,” the county executive said, noting that the message was “unnecessarily alarmist” and “erodes public trust.”

DHS Reply

A DHS assistant secretary, an agency representative, repeated the Secretary's language to blame “partisan tactics” in a response, stating that “Democrats will shortly realize the significance of opening the federal government.”

Cross-Party Calls for Solution

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