🔗 Share this article

Several prominent global air travel hubs across the United States, including Phoenix's Sky Harbor, Harry Reid International, Seattle–Tacoma, and Charlotte Douglas Airport in NC, have opted to block a public service announcement from Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem that attributes responsibility to Democratic lawmakers for the continuing federal government shutdown from being shown at their screening locations.

Regulatory Issues Raised by Airport Officials

Aviation administrators in Phoenix, Arizona, Las Vegas, Seattle, Washington, Portland, Oregon, Charlotte, North Carolina, and Westchester, New York have declined to show the video content at security checkpoints, stating that the political statements could breach state and federal law, such as the Hatch Act, which prohibits federal employees from participating in political campaigning.

“Democratic legislators decline to support funding for the federal government, and as a result, many of our operations are disrupted, and most of our TSA staff are not receiving wages,” the Secretary remarked in the announcement.

The Port of Portland Reaction

The Portland airport authority explained that it “did not consent to playing the PSA in its present version, as we maintain the Hatch Act explicitly forbids use of public assets for political aims.” It added that Oregon law bars public employees from supporting or criticizing any party affiliation and that consenting to play this video would violate Oregon law.

Las Vegas Statement

Las Vegas's Harry Reid International Airport also declined to display the security announcement on similar grounds, saying in a statement that “its content contained political messaging 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.

Understanding the Hatch Act Regulations

The Hatch Act is a U.S. law that forbids political activities by federal employees to ensure that public services remain impartial.

Further Airport Rejections

• Phoenix Sky Harbor international airport explained that it “declined to display the video” to stay “in line with airport guidelines,” which prohibits partisan material.
• The Seattle port authority, which manages Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, similarly refused, citing “the partisan tone of the video.”
• Charlotte airport clarified that state local regulations and the airport’s policy for digital content “do not allow the referenced video.” The authority also noted that the Transportation Security Administration lacks ownership of any screens at its security areas and that its limited display monitors are reserved for wayfinding, flight updates, and paid advertisements.

Westchester Objection

Westchester County, in a statement, described the PSA “unacceptable, unacceptable, and out of line with the values we anticipate from our nation’s top public officials.”

“The public service announcement politicizes the impacts of a federal government shutdown on TSA operations,” the county leader stated, adding that the message was “overly alarming” and “erodes public trust.”

DHS Reply

A DHS assistant secretary, an agency representative, repeated Noem’s wording to attribute fault to “political gamesmanship” in a statement, stating that “Democrats will shortly recognize the significance of reopening the government.”

Cross-Party Calls for Solution

The Seattle authority commented that it continued to “urge bipartisan efforts to end the federal closure” and was working to identify methods to assist federal employees working without pay during the shutdown.