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Several 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 in North Carolina, have decided to block a video from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem that faults Democrats for the current government closure from airing at their screening locations.

Regulatory Concerns Cited by Aviation Authorities

Airport authorities in Phoenix, Las Vegas, Nevada, Seattle, Portland, Charlotte, and Westchester County have refused to show the video content at screening areas, stating that the overtly political messaging could violate state and federal law, such as the Hatch Act of 1939, which bars government workers from engaging in political campaigning.

“Congressional Democrats refuse to fund the federal government, and as a result, many of our activities are disrupted, and most of our TSA staff are unpaid,” the Secretary stated in the video.

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 Hatch Act explicitly forbids use of public assets for political purposes.” It added that state regulations in Oregon bars public employees from supporting or criticizing any political party and that agreeing to broadcast this video would break state law.

Harry Reid International Position

The Harry Reid International Airport also refused to display the TSA video on comparable reasons, noting in a statement that “the video's message included partisan statements that was inconsistent with the neutral, educational nature of the PSAs typically displayed at checkpoint screens” and also referenced the federal act.

Explaining the Hatch Act Regulations

The Hatch Act is a U.S. law that bans partisan actions by government employees to ensure that government programs stay non-partisan.

Additional Authority Rejections

• Phoenix airport international airport explained that it “refused to post the video” to stay “consistent with airport guidelines,” which does not allow political content.
• The Seattle port authority, which operates Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, similarly declined, citing “the political nature of the content.”
• Charlotte airport said that state local regulations and the airport's rules for screen content “do not permit the referenced video.” The authority also noted that the TSA does not own any screens at its security areas and that its few display monitors are designated for directions, flight updates, and paid advertisements.

Westchester County Criticism

The county, in a statement, described the video “inappropriate, unacceptable, and inconsistent with the standards we anticipate from our nation’s top public officials.”

“The PSA politicizes the effects of a government closure on security operations,” the county leader stated, adding that the tone was “unnecessarily alarmist” and “erodes customer confidence.”

Homeland Security Response

A Department of Homeland Security assistant secretary, Tricia McLaughlin, echoed the Secretary's wording to attribute fault to “partisan tactics” in a statement, stating that “Democrats will shortly realize the importance of opening the government.”

Cross-Party Appeals for Solution

The Seattle authority said that it continued to “encourage bipartisan efforts to end the federal closure” and was working to identify ways to support government workers unpaid during the closure.