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A number of key global air travel hubs across the United States, including Phoenix's Sky Harbor, Las Vegas's Harry Reid Airport, Seattle–Tacoma, and Charlotte Douglas in North Carolina, have decided to block a public service announcement from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem that faults Democrats for the continuing federal government shutdown from being shown at their security checkpoints.

Regulatory Issues Raised by Aviation Authorities

Aviation administrators in Phoenix, Arizona, Las Vegas, Nevada, Seattle, Washington, Portland, Charlotte, North Carolina, and Westchester County have refused to show the video content at security checkpoints, stating that the clearly partisan content could violate state and federal law, including the Hatch Act, which prohibits government workers from engaging in political campaigning.

“Congressional Democrats decline to support funding for the federal government, and because of this, many of our functions are disrupted, and most of our TSA employees are not receiving wages,” Noem said in the video.

The Port of Portland Response

The Port of Portland noted that it “would not agree to playing the video in its present version, as we believe the federal law explicitly forbids utilization of government resources for political purposes.” It added that Oregon law bars public employees from supporting or criticizing any political party and that consenting to play this content would violate state law.

Harry Reid International Statement

Las Vegas's Harry Reid airport also declined to display the TSA video on comparable reasons, saying in a release that “the video's message included political messaging that did not align with the neutral, educational purpose of the public service announcements usually shown at security checkpoints” and also cited the federal act.

Understanding the Hatch Act

The Hatch Act is a federal law that forbids partisan actions by government employees to ensure that public services stay non-partisan.

Additional Authority Responses

• Phoenix airport airport explained that it “declined to post the PSA” to remain “consistent with airport guidelines,” which does not allow partisan material.
• The Port of Seattle, which manages Sea-Tac airport, similarly refused, citing “the political nature of the content.”
• Charlotte airport clarified that state municipal law and the airport’s policy for screen content “do not permit the referenced video.” The authority also added that the Transportation Security Administration lacks ownership of any monitors at its security areas and that its limited digital screens are designated for directions, travel information, and paid advertisements.

Westchester County Criticism

The county, in a public comment, called the video “inappropriate, unacceptable, and out of line with the standards we expect from our federal leaders.”

“The public service announcement makes political the effects of a federal government shutdown on TSA operations,” the county executive stated, noting that the tone was “overly alarming” and “erodes public trust.”

DHS Response

A Department of Homeland Security official, an agency representative, echoed Noem’s language to attribute fault to “political gamesmanship” in a statement, adding that “Democrats will soon realize the significance of opening the federal government.”

Cross-Party Appeals for Solution

The Port of Seattle commented that it continued to “urge cooperative actions to end the government shutdown” and was striving to find ways to assist federal employees unpaid during the shutdown.