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Several major international airports across the America, among them Phoenix Sky Harbor, Harry Reid International, Seattle–Tacoma, and Charlotte Douglas Airport in North Carolina, have opted to prevent a public service announcement from Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem that faults Democratic lawmakers for the ongoing federal government shutdown from playing at their security checkpoints.

Regulatory Issues Raised by Aviation Authorities

Aviation administrators in Phoenix, Arizona, Las Vegas, Seattle, Portland, Oregon, Charlotte, and Westchester County have declined to broadcast the video content at screening areas, stating that the overtly political messaging could contravene federal and state regulations, such as the Hatch Act, which prohibits federal employees from engaging in political campaigning.

“Democrats in Congress refuse to finance the federal government, and as a result, many of our functions are disrupted, and most of our Transportation Security Administration workers are unpaid,” Noem said in the announcement.

The Port of Portland Reaction

The Port of Portland noted that it “would not agree to playing the video in its present version, as we maintain the Hatch Act explicitly forbids use of public assets for political purposes.” It added that Oregon law bars public employees from supporting or criticizing any political party and that agreeing to play this video would break Oregon law.

Harry Reid International Statement

The Harry Reid International Airport also declined to show the security announcement on comparable reasons, stating in a statement that “the video's message included political messaging that was inconsistent with the impartial, educational purpose of the public service announcements usually displayed at checkpoint screens” and also cited the Hatch Act.

Explaining the Hatch Act

The Hatch Act of 1939 is a U.S. law that forbids partisan actions by government employees to guarantee that government programs stay unbiased.

Further Authority Responses

• Phoenix Sky Harbor airport explained that it “refused to display the video” to remain “consistent with airport policy,” which does not allow partisan material.
• The Port of Seattle, which operates Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, similarly refused, citing “the partisan tone of the content.”
• Charlotte airport clarified that state local regulations and the airport’s policy for digital content “do not permit the video in question.” The authority also noted that the Transportation Security Administration does not own any screens at its checkpoints and that its limited digital screens are reserved for wayfinding, travel information, and paid advertisements.

Westchester Objection

Westchester County, in a statement, called the video “inappropriate, unacceptable, and out of line 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 stated, noting that the message was “overly alarming” and “erodes public trust.”

DHS Reply

A Department of Homeland Security assistant secretary, Tricia McLaughlin, echoed Noem’s language to attribute fault to “partisan tactics” in a response, stating that “Democrats will soon recognize the significance of reopening the federal government.”

Bipartisan Appeals for Solution

The Seattle authority said that it continued to “encourage cooperative actions to end the government shutdown” and was striving to identify methods to assist federal employees working without pay during the closure.