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A number of major international airports across the America, including Phoenix's Sky Harbor, Harry Reid International, Seattle-Tacoma International, and Charlotte Douglas Airport in North Carolina, have opted to block a video from Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem that attributes responsibility to Democrats for the continuing government closure from playing at their security checkpoints.

Regulatory Concerns Cited by Airport Authorities

Airport authorities in Phoenix, Las Vegas, Seattle, Portland, Charlotte, and Westchester, New York have refused to display the footage at screening areas, stating that the political statements could contravene state and federal law, such as the Hatch Act, which prohibits federal employees from participating in partisan actions.

“Democrats in Congress decline to finance the federal government, and as a result, many of our functions are impacted, and most of our Transportation Security Administration employees are working without pay,” the Secretary stated in the announcement.

The Port of Portland Reaction

The Portland airport authority clarified that it “would not agree to airing the PSA in its present version, as we maintain the federal law explicitly forbids utilization of government resources for political purposes.” It added that state regulations in Oregon bars public employees from promoting or opposing any political party and that agreeing to play this content would violate state law.

Harry Reid International Position

Las Vegas's Harry Reid airport also refused to display the TSA video on similar grounds, saying in a release that “the video's message contained partisan statements that was inconsistent with the impartial, informational purpose of the public service announcements usually shown at security checkpoints” and also referenced the Hatch Act.

Understanding the Hatch Act Regulations

The Hatch Act of 1939 is a federal law that prohibits political activities by federal employees to ensure that public services stay non-partisan.

Additional Airport Rejections

• Phoenix airport international airport explained that it “declined to post the video” to stay “consistent with airport guidelines,” which does not allow political content.
• The Port of Seattle, which manages Sea-Tac airport, similarly refused, pointing to “the partisan tone of the video.”
• Charlotte airport clarified that state local regulations and the airport’s policy for digital content “do not permit the video in question.” The airport also noted that the Transportation Security Administration does not own any screens at its security areas and that its limited digital screens are reserved for directions, travel information, and paid advertisements.

Westchester Objection

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

“The PSA politicizes the impacts of a government closure on TSA operations,” the county leader said, adding that the message was “unnecessarily alarmist” and “undermines customer confidence.”

DHS Reply

A DHS official, an agency representative, repeated Noem’s wording to attribute fault to “partisan tactics” in a response, stating that “Democratic leaders will shortly recognize the significance of reopening the federal government.”

Bipartisan Appeals for Resolution

The Port of Seattle commented that it continued to “urge bipartisan efforts to resolve the federal closure” and was working to identify methods to assist government workers unpaid during the closure.