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A number of prominent international air travel hubs across the America, among them Phoenix Sky Harbor, Harry Reid International, Seattle-Tacoma International, and Charlotte Douglas Airport in North Carolina, have opted to restrict a public service announcement from Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem that attributes responsibility to Democratic lawmakers for the continuing federal government shutdown from playing at their security checkpoints.

Legal Issues Cited by Airport Authorities

Airport officials in Phoenix, Arizona, Las Vegas, Seattle, Portland, Charlotte, and Westchester County have declined to show the video content at screening areas, stating that the political statements could contravene federal and state regulations, such as the Hatch Act, which forbids government workers from engaging in partisan political activity.

“Democrats in Congress refuse to fund the federal government, and as a result, many of our activities are impacted, and most of our TSA staff are unpaid,” the Secretary remarked in the announcement.

Portland Response

The Portland airport authority explained that it “did not consent to displaying the video in its present version, as we maintain the Hatch Act clearly prohibits utilization of government resources for political purposes.” The port further stated that Oregon law prohibits public employees from supporting or criticizing any party affiliation and that consenting to play this video would break Oregon law.

Harry Reid International Position

Las Vegas's Harry Reid International Airport also refused to show the security announcement on similar grounds, saying in a statement that “the video's message included political messaging that was inconsistent with the impartial, educational nature of the public service announcements typically shown at security checkpoints” and also referenced the Hatch Act.

Understanding the Hatch Act

The Hatch Act of 1939 is a federal law that bans political activities by federal employees to guarantee that government programs remain impartial.

Further Airport Rejections

• Phoenix airport international airport explained that it “refused to display the PSA” to stay “consistent with airport policy,” which does not allow partisan material.
• The Seattle port authority, which operates Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, similarly declined, pointing to “the partisan tone of the content.”
• Charlotte airport said that state municipal law and the airport's rules for digital content “do not permit the video in question.” The authority also added that the TSA lacks ownership of any monitors at its security areas and that its limited display monitors are reserved for directions, flight updates, and revenue-generating services.

Westchester County Criticism

The county, in a public comment, called the video “unacceptable, unacceptable, and out of line with the values we anticipate from our nation’s top public officials.”

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

Homeland Security Reply

A DHS official, Tricia McLaughlin, echoed Noem’s language to blame “political gamesmanship” in a response, adding that “Democratic leaders will shortly recognize the significance of reopening the government.”

Cross-Party Calls for Solution

The Port of Seattle commented that it continued to “urge cooperative actions to resolve the federal closure” and was working to identify ways to assist federal employees unpaid during the closure.