🔗 Share this article

Several key international air travel hubs across the US, such as Phoenix Sky Harbor, Harry Reid International, Seattle–Tacoma, and Charlotte Douglas Airport in NC, have decided to restrict a video from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem that blames Democrats for the current government closure from airing at their screening locations.

Regulatory Concerns Cited by Airport Officials

Airport authorities in Phoenix, Las Vegas, Seattle, Washington, Portland, Charlotte, and Westchester, New York have refused to broadcast the video content at security checkpoints, stating that the overtly political messaging could violate federal and state regulations, including the Hatch Act of 1939, which prohibits federal employees from engaging in partisan political activity.

“Democratic legislators decline to finance the U.S. government, and because of this, many of our operations are disrupted, and most of our Transportation Security Administration employees are not receiving wages,” Noem stated in the announcement.

Portland Response

The Port of Portland noted that it “would not agree to playing the video in its current form, as we believe the Hatch Act clearly prohibits use of public assets for partisan messaging.” It added that Oregon law prohibits government staff from supporting or criticizing any political party and that consenting to play this video would break Oregon law.

Las Vegas Position

The Harry Reid International Airport also declined to show the security announcement on comparable reasons, saying in a statement that “the video's message contained partisan statements that did not align with the neutral, informational purpose of the public service announcements usually shown at checkpoint screens” and also cited the federal act.

Explaining the Hatch Act

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

Further Airport Responses

• Phoenix Sky Harbor airport explained that it “declined to post the PSA” to stay “consistent with airport policy,” which prohibits partisan material.
• The Seattle port authority, which operates Sea-Tac airport, also declined, citing “the political nature of the video.”
• Charlotte airport clarified that North Carolina local regulations and the airport’s policy for screen content “do not permit the referenced video.” The airport also added that the TSA does not own any monitors at its checkpoints and that its few digital screens are reserved for directions, flight updates, and paid advertisements.

Westchester Criticism

Westchester County, in a public comment, described the PSA “unacceptable, improper, and out of line with the standards we expect from our federal leaders.”

“The PSA makes political the impacts of a federal government shutdown on TSA operations,” the county leader said, noting that the message was “overly alarming” and “undermines customer confidence.”

Homeland Security Response

A DHS official, Tricia McLaughlin, echoed Noem’s wording to attribute fault to “partisan tactics” in a response, stating that “Democratic leaders will shortly realize the importance of opening the government.”

Bipartisan Appeals for Solution

The Seattle authority commented that it continued to “urge bipartisan efforts to end the government shutdown” and was working to identify ways to assist federal employees unpaid during the shutdown.