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A number of key international air travel hubs across the America, such as Phoenix's Sky Harbor, Las Vegas's Harry Reid Airport, Seattle-Tacoma International, and Charlotte Douglas in NC, have opted to restrict a public service announcement from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem that blames Democratic lawmakers for the continuing federal government shutdown from airing at their security checkpoints.

Regulatory Concerns Cited by Aviation Officials

Aviation administrators in Phoenix, Las Vegas, Seattle, Washington, Portland, Oregon, Charlotte, and Westchester County have declined to show the footage at security checkpoints, stating that the political statements could breach state and federal law, such as the Hatch Act, which forbids government workers from engaging in political campaigning.

“Democrats in Congress refuse to support funding for the U.S. government, and as a result, many of our operations are impacted, and most of our TSA workers are not receiving wages,” the Secretary stated in the video.

Portland Response

The Port of Portland explained that it “did not consent to airing the video in its current form, as we consider the federal law explicitly forbids use of public assets for political aims.” The port further stated that state regulations in Oregon prohibits public employees from promoting or opposing any party affiliation and that consenting to broadcast this video would violate Oregon law.

Harry Reid International Position

Las Vegas's Harry Reid International Airport also declined to display the security announcement on comparable reasons, stating in a statement that “the video's message contained partisan statements that was inconsistent with the neutral, informational nature of the public service announcements typically shown at checkpoint screens” and also referenced the federal act.

Understanding the Hatch Act Regulations

The Hatch Act is a U.S. law that forbids partisan actions by government employees to ensure that government programs remain unbiased.

Further Airport Responses

• Phoenix Sky Harbor airport explained that it “refused to post the PSA” to remain “consistent with airport guidelines,” which does not allow partisan material.
• The Seattle port authority, which manages Sea-Tac airport, similarly refused, citing “the partisan tone of the video.”
• Charlotte airport clarified that North Carolina local regulations and the airport's rules for screen content “do not allow the referenced video.” The authority also added that the Transportation Security Administration does not own any monitors at its checkpoints and that its few digital screens are reserved for directions, travel information, and revenue-generating services.

Westchester County Objection

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

“The public service announcement politicizes the impacts of a federal government shutdown on security operations,” the county executive said, adding that the tone was “overly alarming” and “undermines public trust.”

DHS Reply

A Department of Homeland Security assistant secretary, Tricia McLaughlin, echoed the Secretary's wording to blame “partisan tactics” in a statement, stating that “Democratic leaders will soon realize the significance of reopening the federal government.”

Cross-Party Calls for Solution

The Port of Seattle commented that it continued to “encourage bipartisan efforts to end the federal closure” and was striving to identify ways to support government workers working without pay during the shutdown.