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A number of key global airports across the US, among them Phoenix Sky Harbor, Harry Reid International, Seattle–Tacoma, and Charlotte Douglas in NC, have opted to restrict a public service announcement from Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem that blames Democratic lawmakers for the ongoing federal government shutdown from playing at their screening locations.

Legal Concerns Cited by Aviation Officials

Airport officials in Phoenix, Las Vegas, Seattle, Portland, Charlotte, North Carolina, and Westchester County have refused to broadcast the footage at security checkpoints, stating that the clearly partisan content could breach federal and state regulations, including the Hatch Act of 1939, which bars federal employees from participating in partisan actions.

“Democrats in Congress refuse to fund the U.S. government, and because of this, many of our functions are impacted, and most of our Transportation Security Administration workers are unpaid,” Noem remarked in the announcement.

The Port of Portland Response

The Portland airport authority noted that it “would not agree to airing the PSA in its current form, as we consider the Hatch Act clearly prohibits utilization of government resources for political purposes.” It added that state regulations in Oregon bars government staff from supporting or criticizing any party affiliation and that consenting to play this content would violate Oregon law.

Harry Reid International Statement

The Harry Reid International Airport also declined to display the security announcement on comparable reasons, stating in a release that “its content contained partisan statements that did not align with the impartial, informational purpose of the public service announcements typically displayed at checkpoint screens” and also cited the federal act.

Understanding the Hatch Act Regulations

The Hatch Act is a federal law that bans partisan actions by government employees to ensure that government programs remain unbiased.

Additional Airport Responses

• Phoenix Sky Harbor international airport explained that it “refused to post the video” to remain “consistent with airport policy,” which prohibits partisan material.
• The Seattle port authority, which operates Sea-Tac airport, similarly declined, pointing to “the partisan tone of the content.”
• Charlotte Douglas International Airport said that North Carolina local regulations and the airport’s policy for digital content “do not permit the referenced video.” The airport also added that the Transportation Security Administration does not own any monitors at its security areas and that its limited digital screens are designated for wayfinding, travel information, and paid advertisements.

Westchester County Criticism

The county, in a statement, called the PSA “unacceptable, improper, and out of line with the values we expect from our nation’s top public officials.”

“The public service announcement makes political the effects of a federal government shutdown on TSA operations,” the county executive said, adding that the message was “overly alarming” and “erodes public trust.”

Homeland Security Reply

A DHS assistant secretary, Tricia McLaughlin, repeated Noem’s wording to attribute fault to “political gamesmanship” in a response, stating that “Democratic leaders will soon realize the importance of reopening the government.”

Cross-Party Appeals for Resolution

The Seattle authority commented that it continued to “encourage cooperative actions to end the federal closure” and was working to identify ways to support government workers unpaid during the shutdown.