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A number of prominent global airports across the United States, such as Phoenix's Sky Harbor, Harry Reid International, Seattle–Tacoma, and Charlotte Douglas in North Carolina, have opted to prevent a video from Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem that faults Democrats for the ongoing federal government shutdown from playing at their security checkpoints.

Legal Issues Cited by Aviation Officials

Airport authorities in Phoenix, Las Vegas, Nevada, Seattle, Portland, Oregon, Charlotte, and Westchester, New York have refused 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 government workers from participating in partisan actions.

“Democratic legislators decline to support funding for the federal government, and as a result, many of our operations are impacted, and most of our Transportation Security Administration workers are unpaid,” the Secretary remarked in the announcement.

The Port of Portland Reaction

The Portland airport authority explained that it “would not agree to playing the video in its present version, as we maintain the Hatch Act clearly prohibits use of public assets for political aims.” It added that Oregon law bars public employees from supporting or criticizing any party affiliation and that agreeing to play this content would break state law.

Harry Reid International Position

The Harry Reid airport also refused to show the TSA video on comparable reasons, noting in a release that “the video's message included political messaging that was inconsistent with the impartial, informational nature of the public service announcements typically shown at checkpoint screens” and also referenced the Hatch Act.

Explaining the Hatch Act Regulations

The Hatch Act is a federal law that prohibits political activities by government employees to guarantee that public services stay impartial.

Further Authority Responses

• Phoenix airport international airport stated that it “refused to display the PSA” to stay “in line with airport guidelines,” which does not allow partisan material.
• The Port of Seattle, which manages Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, similarly refused, citing “the political nature of the video.”
• Charlotte airport said that state municipal law and the airport’s policy for screen content “do not permit the video in question.” The airport also noted that the Transportation Security Administration lacks ownership of any monitors at its checkpoints and that its few display monitors are reserved for wayfinding, travel information, and revenue-generating services.

Westchester Objection

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

“The PSA politicizes the impacts of a government closure on security operations,” the county leader said, noting that the tone was “unnecessarily alarmist” and “undermines public trust.”

DHS Response

A Department of Homeland Security assistant secretary, Tricia McLaughlin, repeated the Secretary's language to attribute fault to “partisan tactics” in a response, adding that “Democratic leaders will shortly recognize the significance of reopening the federal government.”

Bipartisan Appeals for Solution

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