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Several major global airports across the America, including Phoenix Sky Harbor, Las Vegas's Harry Reid Airport, Seattle-Tacoma International, and Charlotte Douglas in North Carolina, have opted to prevent a public service announcement from Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem that attributes responsibility to Democratic lawmakers for the ongoing federal government shutdown from playing at their checkpoint areas.

Regulatory Issues Cited by Airport Authorities

Airport authorities in Phoenix, Las Vegas, Seattle, Portland, Charlotte, North Carolina, and Westchester County have declined to display the footage at screening areas, stating that the overtly political messaging could breach state and federal law, including the Hatch Act of 1939, which prohibits government workers from participating in partisan actions.

“Democratic legislators decline to finance the U.S. government, and because of this, many of our functions are affected, and most of our Transportation Security Administration workers are working without pay,” the Secretary stated in the announcement.

Portland Response

The Portland airport authority clarified that it “did not consent to airing the video in its present version, as we maintain the federal law clearly prohibits use of public assets for political purposes.” It added that state regulations in Oregon prohibits public employees from supporting or criticizing any party affiliation and that consenting to play this video would break Oregon law.

Harry Reid International Position

Las Vegas's Harry Reid airport also refused to display the TSA video on comparable reasons, saying in a statement that “its content included political messaging that was inconsistent with the impartial, educational nature of the PSAs usually displayed at security checkpoints” and also referenced the Hatch Act.

Explaining the Hatch Act Regulations

The Hatch Act of 1939 is a federal law that prohibits political activities by government employees to ensure that public services stay impartial.

Additional Authority Responses

• Phoenix airport international airport stated that it “declined to post the video” to remain “consistent with airport policy,” which prohibits political content.
• The Port of Seattle, which operates Sea-Tac airport, similarly declined, pointing to “the political nature of the video.”
• Charlotte Douglas International Airport said that North Carolina municipal law and the airport’s policy for screen content “do not permit the video in question.” The authority also noted that the TSA does not own any monitors at its security areas and that its few display monitors are reserved for directions, travel information, and revenue-generating services.

Westchester Objection

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

“The public service announcement politicizes the impacts of a government closure on security operations,” the county executive stated, adding that the message was “overly alarming” and “erodes customer confidence.”

DHS Response

A DHS assistant secretary, Tricia McLaughlin, echoed Noem’s language to blame “partisan tactics” in a statement, stating that “Democratic leaders will soon realize the significance of reopening the federal government.”

Bipartisan Appeals for Resolution

The Port of Seattle commented that it continued to “encourage bipartisan efforts to resolve the federal closure” and was striving to find methods to support government workers unpaid during the closure.