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Several key international airports across the US, among them Phoenix Sky Harbor, Harry Reid International, Seattle–Tacoma, and Charlotte Douglas in North Carolina, have chosen to prevent a video from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem that faults Democratic lawmakers for the ongoing government closure from being shown at their checkpoint areas.

Regulatory Concerns Cited by Aviation Officials

Airport officials in Phoenix, Arizona, Las Vegas, Nevada, Seattle, Washington, Portland, Oregon, Charlotte, and Westchester County have refused to broadcast the video content at screening areas, stating that the clearly partisan content could contravene state and federal law, such as the Hatch Act of 1939, which prohibits federal employees from participating in partisan political activity.

“Congressional Democrats decline to finance the federal government, and because of this, many of our activities are impacted, and most of our Transportation Security Administration employees are unpaid,” Noem stated in the announcement.

The Port of Portland Reaction

The Port of Portland clarified that it “would not agree to playing the video in its present version, as we maintain the federal law explicitly forbids utilization of government resources for partisan messaging.” It added that state regulations in Oregon bars public employees from supporting or criticizing any party affiliation and that agreeing to play this video would break Oregon law.

Harry Reid International Position

Las Vegas's Harry Reid International Airport also declined to show the TSA video on comparable reasons, noting in a release that “its content included partisan statements that was inconsistent with the impartial, informational nature of the public service announcements typically displayed at checkpoint screens” and also referenced the Hatch Act.

Explaining the Hatch Act

The Hatch Act is a federal law that forbids political activities by government employees to ensure that government programs remain non-partisan.

Further Airport Responses

• Phoenix Sky Harbor international airport explained that it “refused to post the video” to remain “consistent with airport policy,” which prohibits partisan material.
• The Port of Seattle, which operates Sea-Tac airport, similarly declined, citing “the political nature of the video.”
• Charlotte airport clarified that state municipal law and the airport’s policy for screen content “do not allow the referenced video.” The authority also noted that the TSA lacks ownership of any monitors at its security areas and that its few display monitors are designated for directions, travel information, and paid advertisements.

Westchester Objection

The county, in a public comment, called the video “unacceptable, improper, and inconsistent with the standards we anticipate from our nation’s top public officials.”

“The public service announcement makes political the impacts of a federal government shutdown on security operations,” the county leader stated, adding that the tone was “unnecessarily alarmist” and “erodes customer confidence.”

DHS Response

A DHS assistant secretary, Tricia McLaughlin, repeated the Secretary's wording to blame “partisan tactics” in a response, stating that “Democrats will soon realize the significance of opening the federal government.”

Cross-Party Calls for Solution

The Port of Seattle commented that it continued to “urge bipartisan efforts to end the government shutdown” and was working to identify ways to support government workers unpaid during the shutdown.