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Several prominent international air travel hubs across the US, among them Phoenix's Sky Harbor, Harry Reid International, Seattle-Tacoma International, and Charlotte Douglas in NC, have chosen to restrict a video from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem that attributes responsibility to Democratic lawmakers for the current government closure from playing at their screening locations.

Regulatory Concerns Cited by Aviation Authorities

Aviation administrators in Phoenix, Las Vegas, Nevada, Seattle, Washington, Portland, Oregon, Charlotte, and Westchester, New York have declined to display the video content at screening areas, stating that the overtly political messaging could contravene federal and state regulations, such as the Hatch Act of 1939, which bars government workers from engaging in political campaigning.

“Congressional Democrats refuse to fund the federal government, and as a result, many of our functions are disrupted, and most of our TSA employees are unpaid,” Noem remarked in the video.

The Port of Portland Reaction

The Port of Portland clarified that it “would not agree to playing the video in its current form, as we consider the Hatch Act explicitly forbids utilization of government resources for partisan messaging.” The port further stated that state regulations in Oregon prohibits government staff from promoting or opposing 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 show the security announcement on comparable reasons, stating in a statement that “its content included political messaging that was inconsistent with the impartial, educational nature of the PSAs typically shown at checkpoint screens” and also referenced the federal act.

Explaining the Hatch Act Regulations

The Hatch Act is a U.S. law that bans political activities by federal employees to ensure that public services remain non-partisan.

Further Authority Responses

• Phoenix airport international airport stated that it “refused to display the PSA” to stay “in line with airport guidelines,” which prohibits political content.
• The Seattle port authority, which operates Sea-Tac airport, similarly refused, pointing to “the political nature of the content.”
• Charlotte Douglas International Airport clarified that North Carolina municipal law and the airport's rules for screen content “do not permit the video in question.” The authority also noted that the Transportation Security Administration does not own any screens at its security areas and that its few display monitors are designated for directions, flight updates, and revenue-generating services.

Westchester Criticism

Westchester County, in a statement, described the video “inappropriate, improper, and out of line with the standards we anticipate from our federal leaders.”

“The PSA politicizes the effects of a federal government shutdown on security operations,” the county leader stated, adding that the message was “overly alarming” and “erodes public trust.”

DHS Reply

A Department of Homeland Security official, Tricia McLaughlin, repeated the Secretary's wording to attribute fault to “political gamesmanship” in a response, stating that “Democrats will shortly realize the significance of opening the government.”

Bipartisan Appeals for Solution

The Seattle authority commented that it continued to “encourage bipartisan efforts to resolve the government shutdown” and was working to identify ways to assist federal employees working without pay during the shutdown.