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A number of key global air travel hubs across the US, among them Phoenix's Sky Harbor, Las Vegas's Harry Reid Airport, Seattle–Tacoma, and Charlotte Douglas Airport in North Carolina, have opted to prevent a video from Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem that blames Democratic lawmakers for the current government closure from playing at their screening locations.

Legal Issues Raised by Aviation Officials

Aviation administrators in Phoenix, Las Vegas, Seattle, Portland, Charlotte, North Carolina, and Westchester County have refused to show the video content at screening areas, stating that the clearly partisan content could breach federal and state regulations, such as the Hatch Act of 1939, which forbids federal employees from engaging in partisan political activity.

“Democratic legislators refuse to support funding for the U.S. government, and as a result, many of our functions are impacted, and most of our TSA employees are working without pay,” Noem remarked in the video.

The Port of Portland Response

The Port of Portland explained that it “did not consent to playing the video in its current form, as we maintain 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 supporting or criticizing any party affiliation and that consenting to play this content would violate state law.

Las Vegas Statement

The Harry Reid International Airport also refused to display the TSA video on similar grounds, saying in a release that “its content contained partisan statements that was inconsistent with the impartial, informational nature of the public service announcements usually shown at checkpoint screens” 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 government programs stay non-partisan.

Additional Authority Responses

• Phoenix airport international airport stated that it “refused to post the PSA” to remain “consistent with airport policy,” which does not allow partisan material.
• The Seattle port authority, which operates Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, also declined, pointing to “the political nature of the content.”
• Charlotte airport clarified that state municipal law and the airport’s policy for screen content “do not allow the referenced video.” The authority also noted that the Transportation Security Administration does not own any monitors at its checkpoints and that its few digital screens are designated for wayfinding, travel information, and paid advertisements.

Westchester Criticism

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

“The PSA makes political the impacts of a government closure on security operations,” the county executive stated, adding that the message was “unnecessarily alarmist” and “erodes public trust.”

DHS Reply

A DHS assistant secretary, Tricia McLaughlin, repeated Noem’s wording to blame “partisan tactics” in a response, adding that “Democratic leaders will shortly recognize the significance of reopening the federal government.”

Cross-Party Appeals for Resolution

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