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A number of key global airports across the America, including Phoenix Sky Harbor, Las Vegas's Harry Reid Airport, Seattle-Tacoma International, and Charlotte Douglas Airport in North Carolina, have decided to restrict a public service announcement from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem that faults Democratic lawmakers for the continuing government closure from airing at their screening locations.

Legal Concerns Raised by Airport Authorities

Airport officials in Phoenix, Arizona, Las Vegas, Seattle, Washington, Portland, Oregon, Charlotte, and Westchester, New York have declined to display the footage at screening areas, stating that the political statements could contravene federal and state regulations, including the Hatch Act of 1939, which forbids government workers from engaging in partisan political activity.

“Democratic legislators refuse to support funding for the federal government, and as a result, many of our operations are disrupted, and most of our Transportation Security Administration staff are unpaid,” the Secretary remarked in the video.

The Port of Portland Reaction

The Port of Portland noted that it “did not consent to airing the PSA in its present version, as we believe the federal law explicitly forbids utilization of government resources for partisan messaging.” It added that Oregon law bars public employees from supporting or criticizing any political party and that agreeing to broadcast this video would break state law.

Harry Reid International Statement

The Harry Reid International Airport also refused to display the security announcement on similar grounds, saying in a statement that “its content contained political messaging that was inconsistent with the impartial, educational purpose of the PSAs usually displayed at security checkpoints” and also referenced the federal act.

Understanding the Hatch Act Regulations

The Hatch Act is a federal law that forbids partisan actions by federal employees to ensure that public services remain unbiased.

Further Authority Rejections

• Phoenix airport international airport stated that it “refused to post the PSA” to stay “consistent with airport policy,” which prohibits partisan material.
• The Seattle port authority, which manages Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, similarly declined, pointing to “the political nature of the content.”
• Charlotte airport clarified that state municipal law and the airport's rules for screen content “do not permit the referenced video.” The airport also noted that the TSA lacks ownership of any screens at its checkpoints and that its few digital screens are reserved for wayfinding, travel information, and revenue-generating services.

Westchester Objection

Westchester County, in a statement, described the video “inappropriate, unacceptable, and inconsistent with the standards we anticipate from our nation’s top public officials.”

“The PSA makes political the impacts of a government closure on security operations,” the county executive stated, adding that the tone was “unnecessarily alarmist” and “erodes customer confidence.”

Homeland Security Response

A DHS official, Tricia McLaughlin, repeated Noem’s wording to attribute fault to “partisan tactics” in a statement, stating that “Democratic leaders will soon recognize the importance of opening the government.”

Bipartisan Calls for Resolution

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 federal employees working without pay during the closure.