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A number of prominent global air travel hubs across the US, including Phoenix Sky Harbor, Harry Reid International, Seattle-Tacoma International, and Charlotte Douglas Airport in NC, have chosen to prevent a public service announcement from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem that attributes responsibility to Democrats for the continuing government closure from airing at their checkpoint areas.

Legal Issues Raised by Airport Officials

Aviation administrators in Phoenix, Arizona, Las Vegas, Nevada, Seattle, Washington, Portland, Charlotte, and Westchester County have declined to broadcast the video content at screening areas, stating that the political statements could violate federal and state regulations, such as the Hatch Act of 1939, which forbids federal employees from engaging in partisan political activity.

“Democratic legislators decline to finance the U.S. government, and as a result, many of our functions are impacted, and most of our TSA employees are not receiving wages,” the Secretary said in the announcement.

The Port of Portland Response

The Portland airport authority explained that it “did not consent to displaying the video in its current form, as we believe the federal law clearly prohibits utilization of government resources for political aims.” It added that Oregon law bars government staff from supporting or criticizing any political party and that consenting to broadcast this video would break state law.

Las Vegas Statement

Las Vegas's Harry Reid International Airport also declined to show the security announcement on similar grounds, saying in a release that “its content included partisan statements that was inconsistent with the impartial, informational purpose of the public service announcements usually displayed at security checkpoints” and also referenced the Hatch Act.

Understanding the Hatch Act

The Hatch Act is a federal law that forbids partisan actions by government employees to guarantee that public services stay unbiased.

Further Airport Rejections

• Phoenix Sky Harbor international airport stated that it “declined to post the PSA” to remain “in line with airport policy,” which prohibits partisan material.
• The Seattle port authority, which operates Sea-Tac airport, also declined, pointing to “the political nature of the video.”
• Charlotte Douglas International Airport said that state local regulations and the airport’s policy for digital content “do not permit the referenced video.” The airport also added that the TSA lacks ownership of any screens at its checkpoints and that its limited display monitors are reserved for wayfinding, flight updates, and paid advertisements.

Westchester County Criticism

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

“The public service announcement makes political the effects of a federal government shutdown on security operations,” the county leader said, adding that the tone was “overly alarming” and “undermines public trust.”

DHS Reply

A Department of Homeland Security assistant secretary, an agency representative, repeated the Secretary's language to attribute fault to “partisan tactics” in a response, stating that “Democratic leaders will shortly realize the significance of opening the government.”

Bipartisan Calls for Solution

The Seattle authority said that it continued to “encourage bipartisan efforts to end the federal closure” and was working to find methods to assist federal employees unpaid during the closure.