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A number of prominent international air travel hubs across the America, including Phoenix's Sky Harbor, Harry Reid International, Seattle-Tacoma International, and Charlotte Douglas Airport in NC, have opted to block a video from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem that blames Democrats for the ongoing federal government shutdown from airing at their screening locations.

Legal Concerns Cited by Aviation Officials

Airport officials in Phoenix, Arizona, Las Vegas, Seattle, Washington, Portland, Oregon, Charlotte, and Westchester County have refused to display the video content at security checkpoints, stating that the political statements could contravene federal and state regulations, such as the Hatch Act, which bars federal employees from engaging in political campaigning.

“Democrats in Congress decline to finance the U.S. government, and as a result, many of our operations are impacted, and most of our TSA staff are working without pay,” Noem remarked in the announcement.

The Port of Portland Response

The Port of Portland explained that it “would not agree to displaying the video in its present version, as we maintain the federal law explicitly forbids use of public assets for political aims.” It added that Oregon law prohibits government staff from supporting or criticizing any political party and that agreeing to play this content would violate Oregon law.

Harry Reid International Position

The Harry Reid airport also refused to display the security announcement on similar grounds, saying in a statement that “the video's message contained political messaging that was inconsistent with the neutral, informational purpose of the public service announcements usually shown at security checkpoints” and also referenced the federal act.

Explaining the Hatch Act Regulations

The Hatch Act is a federal law that bans political activities by federal employees to guarantee that public services remain impartial.

Additional Airport Responses

• Phoenix airport international airport explained that it “declined to display the PSA” to remain “consistent with airport guidelines,” which prohibits partisan material.
• The Seattle port authority, which operates Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, also declined, citing “the political nature of the video.”
• Charlotte Douglas International Airport clarified that North Carolina municipal law and the airport's rules for screen content “do not permit the video in question.” The airport also added that the TSA does not own any monitors at its checkpoints and that its few digital screens are designated for wayfinding, travel information, and paid advertisements.

Westchester Objection

Westchester County, in a public comment, called the PSA “unacceptable, unacceptable, and inconsistent with the values we expect from our federal leaders.”

“The PSA politicizes the effects of a government closure on TSA operations,” the county executive said, noting that the message was “unnecessarily alarmist” and “erodes public trust.”

DHS Reply

A DHS official, an agency representative, echoed the Secretary's language to attribute fault to “political gamesmanship” in a response, stating that “Democrats will shortly recognize the importance of reopening the government.”

Cross-Party Calls for Resolution

The Port of Seattle said that it continued to “encourage cooperative actions to resolve the federal closure” and was working to identify ways to support federal employees working without pay during the shutdown.