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Several major international air travel hubs across the United States, among them Phoenix Sky Harbor, Las Vegas's Harry Reid Airport, Seattle-Tacoma International, and Charlotte Douglas Airport in NC, have decided to block a video from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem that attributes responsibility to Democratic lawmakers for the continuing government closure from playing at their checkpoint areas.

Regulatory Issues Raised by Aviation Authorities

Airport authorities in Phoenix, Las Vegas, Nevada, Seattle, Washington, Portland, Oregon, Charlotte, and Westchester County have refused to broadcast the footage at security checkpoints, stating that the clearly partisan content could violate state and federal law, including the Hatch Act, which bars government workers from participating in partisan political activity.

“Democratic legislators refuse to fund the federal government, and as a result, many of our activities are affected, and most of our Transportation Security Administration staff are not receiving wages,” Noem said in the announcement.

Portland Reaction

The Portland airport authority noted that it “would not agree to airing the PSA in its present version, as we believe the federal law clearly prohibits use of public assets for political purposes.” It added that Oregon law prohibits government staff from promoting or opposing any political party and that consenting to broadcast this content would break state law.

Las Vegas Position

The Harry Reid International Airport also refused to display the security announcement on comparable reasons, saying in a release that “the video's message contained political messaging that was inconsistent with the impartial, informational nature of the PSAs typically displayed at security checkpoints” and also referenced the Hatch Act.

Understanding the Hatch Act Regulations

The Hatch Act is a U.S. law that prohibits political activities by federal employees to guarantee that public services stay unbiased.

Additional Airport Responses

• Phoenix airport international airport stated that it “refused to display the PSA” to remain “in line with airport guidelines,” which prohibits partisan material.
• The Seattle port authority, which operates Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, also declined, pointing to “the partisan tone of the content.”
• Charlotte Douglas International Airport clarified that North Carolina municipal law and the airport's rules for digital content “do not permit the referenced video.” The airport also added that the TSA lacks ownership of any monitors at its security areas and that its limited display monitors are designated for directions, travel information, and revenue-generating services.

Westchester Objection

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

“The PSA politicizes the effects of a government closure on TSA operations,” the county leader stated, noting that the tone was “unnecessarily alarmist” and “undermines public trust.”

Homeland Security Reply

A DHS official, Tricia McLaughlin, echoed the Secretary's language to attribute fault to “partisan tactics” in a statement, stating that “Democrats will soon recognize the significance of opening the government.”

Bipartisan Calls for Solution

The Port of Seattle said that it continued to “encourage bipartisan efforts to end the federal closure” and was striving to find ways to support federal employees working without pay during the closure.