🔗 Share this article

A number of key international airports across the US, such as Phoenix Sky Harbor, Harry Reid International, Seattle–Tacoma, and Charlotte Douglas Airport in NC, have opted to block a video from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem that attributes responsibility to Democrats for the ongoing federal government shutdown from airing at their security checkpoints.

Regulatory Issues Cited by Aviation Authorities

Aviation administrators in Phoenix, Arizona, Las Vegas, Nevada, Seattle, Washington, Portland, Charlotte, North Carolina, and Westchester, New York have declined to display the footage at security checkpoints, stating that the political statements could contravene state and federal law, including the Hatch Act of 1939, which forbids federal employees from engaging in partisan political activity.

“Democrats in Congress decline to fund the federal government, and as a result, many of our operations are impacted, and most of our Transportation Security Administration workers are unpaid,” the Secretary stated in the announcement.

Portland Response

The Portland airport authority noted that it “did not consent to airing the PSA in its present version, as we consider the federal law explicitly forbids use of public assets for political aims.” It added that state regulations in Oregon prohibits public employees from supporting or criticizing any party affiliation and that agreeing to play this video would break Oregon law.

Harry Reid International Position

The Harry Reid airport also declined to show the TSA video on comparable reasons, stating in a release that “its content included political messaging that was inconsistent with the impartial, educational purpose of the public service announcements usually shown at security checkpoints” and also referenced the Hatch Act.

Understanding the Hatch Act

The Hatch Act of 1939 is a U.S. law that prohibits political activities by government employees to guarantee that government programs stay impartial.

Further Authority Responses

• Phoenix airport international airport explained that it “refused to display the video” to remain “consistent with airport guidelines,” which prohibits political content.
• The Port of Seattle, which manages Sea-Tac airport, similarly refused, pointing to “the political nature of the video.”
• Charlotte Douglas International Airport clarified that state municipal law and the airport’s policy for screen content “do not allow the video in question.” The airport also noted that the Transportation Security Administration does not own any screens at its checkpoints and that its limited digital screens are designated for wayfinding, flight updates, and paid advertisements.

Westchester County Criticism

Westchester County, in a statement, described the video “unacceptable, improper, and out of line with the values we expect from our federal leaders.”

“The public service announcement makes political the effects of a federal government shutdown on security operations,” the county executive stated, noting that the tone was “unnecessarily alarmist” and “undermines public trust.”

Homeland Security Response

A DHS official, an agency representative, repeated the Secretary's language to attribute fault to “political gamesmanship” in a statement, adding that “Democrats will soon recognize the significance of reopening the federal government.”

Cross-Party Appeals for Resolution

The Seattle authority said that it continued to “encourage bipartisan efforts to end the federal closure” and was striving to identify methods to support federal employees working without pay during the shutdown.