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A number of prominent global air travel hubs across the US, among them Phoenix's Sky Harbor, Las Vegas's Harry Reid Airport, 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 blames Democrats for the ongoing government closure from airing at their security checkpoints.

Legal Issues Raised by Aviation Authorities

Airport officials in Phoenix, Las Vegas, Nevada, Seattle, Portland, Charlotte, and Westchester, New York have refused to display the video content at security checkpoints, stating that the political statements could breach state and federal law, such as the Hatch Act of 1939, which bars government workers from participating in partisan actions.

“Democrats in Congress refuse to fund the U.S. government, and as a result, many of our functions are disrupted, and most of our TSA workers are working without pay,” the Secretary remarked in the announcement.

Portland Reaction

The Port of Portland explained that it “did not consent to airing the PSA in its current form, as we maintain the Hatch Act clearly prohibits use of public assets for partisan messaging.” The port further stated that Oregon law bars public employees from supporting or criticizing any political party and that consenting to play this content would break Oregon law.

Harry Reid International Statement

The Harry Reid International Airport also declined to show the security announcement on comparable reasons, stating in a release that “the video's message contained political messaging that was inconsistent with the neutral, informational nature of the PSAs usually displayed at security checkpoints” and also referenced the Hatch Act.

Understanding the Hatch Act

The Hatch Act of 1939 is a U.S. law that forbids partisan actions by government employees to ensure that public services remain unbiased.

Further Airport Rejections

• Phoenix airport airport stated that it “refused to post the PSA” to stay “consistent with airport guidelines,” which does not allow partisan material.
• The Port of Seattle, which manages Sea-Tac airport, similarly declined, citing “the partisan tone of the video.”
• Charlotte Douglas International Airport said that North Carolina municipal law and the airport's rules for digital content “do not allow the video in question.” The authority also noted that the TSA lacks ownership of any monitors at its checkpoints and that its limited display monitors are reserved for wayfinding, flight updates, and revenue-generating services.

Westchester Objection

Westchester County, in a statement, called the PSA “inappropriate, improper, and inconsistent with the standards we anticipate from our federal leaders.”

“The public service announcement politicizes the impacts of a federal government shutdown on TSA operations,” the county leader said, adding that the tone was “unnecessarily alarmist” and “erodes customer confidence.”

Homeland Security Reply

A Department of Homeland Security assistant secretary, an agency representative, repeated the Secretary's wording to attribute fault to “partisan tactics” in a statement, stating that “Democrats will soon realize the significance of opening the government.”

Cross-Party Calls for Resolution

The Seattle authority commented that it continued to “urge bipartisan efforts to resolve the federal closure” and was working to identify ways to support government workers unpaid during the shutdown.