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Several major global air travel hubs across the United States, such as Phoenix's Sky Harbor, Las Vegas's Harry Reid Airport, Seattle–Tacoma, and Charlotte Douglas Airport in NC, have decided to restrict a video from Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem that attributes responsibility to Democrats for the continuing federal government shutdown from being shown at their screening locations.

Legal Concerns Cited by Aviation Officials

Airport authorities in Phoenix, Las Vegas, Nevada, Seattle, Portland, Oregon, Charlotte, North Carolina, and Westchester County have declined to show the footage at security checkpoints, stating that the overtly political messaging could breach state and federal law, including the Hatch Act, which bars federal employees from participating in political campaigning.

“Democrats in Congress decline to finance the federal government, and because of this, many of our functions are disrupted, and most of our Transportation Security Administration staff are not receiving wages,” Noem remarked in the video.

The Port of Portland Reaction

The Port of Portland clarified that it “did not consent to airing the video in its current form, as we believe the Hatch Act clearly prohibits use of public assets for political purposes.” The port further stated that state regulations in Oregon bars public employees from supporting or criticizing any political party and that consenting to broadcast this video would violate Oregon law.

Las Vegas Statement

The Harry Reid airport also refused to show the security announcement on similar grounds, noting in a release that “the video's message contained partisan statements that did not align with the neutral, educational purpose of the public service announcements usually displayed at checkpoint screens” and also referenced the Hatch Act.

Understanding the Hatch Act Regulations

The Hatch Act of 1939 is a federal law that bans partisan actions by government employees to ensure that government programs remain impartial.

Additional Authority Responses

• Phoenix Sky Harbor international airport explained that it “declined to display the PSA” to remain “in line with airport policy,” which does not allow partisan material.
• The Port of Seattle, which operates Sea-Tac airport, also refused, citing “the political nature of the content.”
• Charlotte Douglas International Airport said that state municipal law and the airport's rules for screen content “do not permit the video in question.” The airport also added that the TSA lacks ownership of any screens at its security areas and that its limited digital screens are reserved for directions, travel information, and revenue-generating services.

Westchester County Objection

Westchester County, in a statement, called the video “unacceptable, unacceptable, and out of line with the values we anticipate from our federal leaders.”

“The PSA politicizes the effects of a government closure on security operations,” the county leader stated, adding that the message was “unnecessarily alarmist” and “erodes public trust.”

DHS Reply

A DHS official, an agency representative, echoed Noem’s wording to attribute fault to “political gamesmanship” in a response, adding that “Democrats will shortly recognize the importance of opening the federal government.”

Cross-Party Calls for Solution

The Seattle authority said that it continued to “encourage cooperative actions to resolve the government shutdown” and was striving to find ways to assist government workers working without pay during the closure.