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Several key global airports across the United States, among them Phoenix Sky Harbor, Las Vegas's Harry Reid Airport, Seattle–Tacoma, and Charlotte Douglas Airport in North Carolina, have decided to block a public service announcement from Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem that attributes responsibility to Democrats for the ongoing federal government shutdown from airing at their screening locations.

Legal Concerns Raised by Aviation Authorities

Airport authorities in Phoenix, Las Vegas, Nevada, Seattle, Washington, Portland, Charlotte, North Carolina, and Westchester County have refused to show the footage at security checkpoints, stating that the clearly partisan content could violate federal and state regulations, including the Hatch Act of 1939, which forbids federal employees from participating in political campaigning.

“Democrats in Congress refuse to fund the U.S. government, and because of this, many of our operations are impacted, and most of our Transportation Security Administration staff are unpaid,” Noem said in the announcement.

The Port of Portland Response

The Port of Portland noted that it “did not consent to airing the PSA in its present version, as we maintain the federal law clearly prohibits use of public assets for political purposes.” The port further stated that state regulations in Oregon bars public employees from promoting or opposing any political party and that agreeing to broadcast this content would violate state law.

Harry Reid International Position

The Harry Reid International Airport also declined to show the TSA video on similar grounds, stating in a statement that “the video's message included political messaging that did not align with the impartial, educational nature of the PSAs typically shown at security checkpoints” and also cited the federal act.

Understanding the Hatch Act Regulations

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

Further Authority Responses

• Phoenix airport international airport stated that it “refused to display the video” to remain “in line with airport policy,” which does not allow political content.
• 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 permit the video in question.” The authority also noted that the Transportation Security Administration lacks ownership of any screens at its security areas and that its limited display monitors are designated for wayfinding, flight updates, and revenue-generating services.

Westchester Objection

The county, in a statement, described the PSA “unacceptable, unacceptable, and out of line with the values we expect from our nation’s top public officials.”

“The public service announcement politicizes the effects of a government closure on security operations,” the county executive stated, adding that the message was “overly alarming” and “undermines customer confidence.”

Homeland Security Reply

A DHS official, an agency representative, echoed the Secretary's wording to blame “partisan tactics” in a statement, stating that “Democratic leaders will shortly realize the significance of reopening the government.”

Cross-Party Appeals for Resolution

The Seattle authority said that it continued to “urge bipartisan efforts to resolve the government shutdown” and was striving to find ways to assist federal employees working without pay during the closure.