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Several key international air travel hubs across the United States, among them Phoenix Sky Harbor, Harry Reid International, Seattle-Tacoma International, and Charlotte Douglas Airport in NC, have chosen to prevent a public service announcement from Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem that faults Democrats for the continuing federal government shutdown from playing at their security checkpoints.

Legal Issues Cited by Aviation Authorities

Airport officials in Phoenix, Arizona, Las Vegas, Seattle, Portland, Oregon, Charlotte, North Carolina, and Westchester County have refused to display the footage at security checkpoints, stating that the political statements could contravene federal and state regulations, such as the Hatch Act of 1939, which forbids government workers from participating in political campaigning.

“Democratic legislators decline to finance the federal government, and because of this, many of our operations are disrupted, and most of our Transportation Security Administration employees are unpaid,” the Secretary remarked in the video.

Portland Response

The Portland airport authority clarified that it “did not consent to displaying the PSA in its current form, as we believe the federal law explicitly forbids use of public assets for political aims.” The port further stated that Oregon law prohibits government staff from supporting or criticizing any party affiliation and that agreeing to play this content would violate Oregon law.

Harry Reid International Statement

Las Vegas's Harry Reid airport also refused to display the security announcement on comparable reasons, stating in a release that “its content contained political messaging that did not align with the neutral, informational nature of the PSAs usually displayed at security checkpoints” and also cited the federal act.

Understanding the Hatch Act

The Hatch Act is a U.S. law that bans partisan actions by federal employees to guarantee that government programs remain non-partisan.

Additional Airport Rejections

• Phoenix Sky Harbor international airport stated that it “declined to display the PSA” to stay “consistent with airport policy,” which does not allow political content.
• The Port of Seattle, which manages Sea-Tac airport, similarly declined, citing “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 referenced video.” The airport also added that the TSA lacks ownership of any screens at its security areas and that its limited digital screens are reserved for wayfinding, flight updates, and paid advertisements.

Westchester Criticism

Westchester County, in a statement, called the PSA “unacceptable, improper, and inconsistent with the values we expect from our nation’s top public officials.”

“The PSA politicizes the effects of a federal government shutdown on TSA operations,” the county executive said, adding that the message was “overly alarming” and “erodes public trust.”

Homeland Security Response

A DHS assistant secretary, Tricia McLaughlin, echoed Noem’s language to attribute fault to “political gamesmanship” in a response, adding that “Democratic leaders will soon realize the significance of reopening the government.”

Cross-Party Appeals for Resolution

The Port of Seattle commented that it continued to “urge cooperative actions to end the government shutdown” and was striving to find ways to assist federal employees unpaid during the shutdown.