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A number of prominent international airports across the America, among them Phoenix Sky Harbor, Las Vegas's Harry Reid Airport, Seattle-Tacoma International, and Charlotte Douglas Airport in NC, have decided to restrict a public service announcement from Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem that attributes responsibility to Democrats for the continuing federal government shutdown from being shown at their security checkpoints.

Regulatory Concerns Raised by Aviation Officials

Airport officials in Phoenix, Arizona, Las Vegas, Seattle, Portland, Oregon, Charlotte, and Westchester County have declined to show the video content at security checkpoints, stating that the overtly political messaging could contravene federal and state regulations, such as the Hatch Act of 1939, which forbids government workers from engaging in partisan political activity.

“Democratic legislators decline to finance the federal government, and because of this, many of our operations are affected, and most of our TSA workers are unpaid,” Noem said in the announcement.

Portland Reaction

The Port of Portland noted that it “did not consent to playing the video in its current form, as we maintain the federal law clearly prohibits utilization of government resources for political aims.” The port further stated that Oregon law prohibits government staff from supporting or criticizing any political party and that consenting to play this content would break Oregon law.

Las Vegas Position

The Harry Reid airport also declined to display the security announcement on comparable reasons, stating in a release that “the video's message included partisan statements that did not align with the impartial, educational purpose of the public service announcements usually displayed at security checkpoints” and also cited the Hatch Act.

Explaining the Hatch Act

The Hatch Act is a U.S. law that forbids political activities by federal employees to ensure that government programs stay unbiased.

Further Authority Rejections

• Phoenix airport international airport explained that it “refused to post the PSA” to stay “in line with airport guidelines,” which prohibits political content.
• The Port of Seattle, which manages Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, also refused, pointing to “the political nature of the video.”
• Charlotte Douglas International Airport said that state 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 wayfinding, flight updates, and revenue-generating services.

Westchester Objection

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

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

Homeland Security Reply

A DHS official, Tricia McLaughlin, repeated Noem’s language to blame “political gamesmanship” in a response, adding that “Democratic leaders will soon recognize the significance of reopening the government.”

Bipartisan Appeals for Resolution

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