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A number of prominent international airports across the United States, including Phoenix Sky Harbor, Las Vegas's Harry Reid Airport, Seattle-Tacoma International, and Charlotte Douglas in North Carolina, have chosen to block a public service announcement from Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem that faults Democratic lawmakers for the ongoing government closure from playing at their checkpoint areas.

Legal Issues Cited by Airport Officials

Airport officials in Phoenix, Las Vegas, Nevada, Seattle, Washington, Portland, Oregon, Charlotte, and Westchester County have refused to display the footage at security checkpoints, stating that the clearly partisan content could contravene federal and state regulations, such as the Hatch Act, which forbids federal employees from engaging in partisan actions.

“Democratic legislators decline to fund the federal government, and because of this, many of our activities are disrupted, and most of our Transportation Security Administration employees are not receiving wages,” the Secretary said in the announcement.

The Port of Portland Response

The Portland airport authority noted that it “did not consent to airing the PSA in its current form, as we maintain the Hatch Act explicitly forbids utilization of government resources for partisan messaging.” It added that Oregon law prohibits government staff from supporting or criticizing any party affiliation and that agreeing to play this video would violate state law.

Harry Reid International Position

Las Vegas's Harry Reid International Airport also declined to display the TSA video on similar grounds, stating in a statement that “its content contained political messaging that did not align with the impartial, educational purpose of the PSAs typically shown at checkpoint screens” and also referenced the Hatch Act.

Explaining the Hatch Act

The Hatch Act of 1939 is a U.S. law that prohibits political activities by government employees to guarantee that government programs remain non-partisan.

Further Airport Responses

• Phoenix Sky Harbor airport stated that it “refused to post the video” to remain “in line with airport guidelines,” which does not allow political content.
• The Port of Seattle, which operates Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, also refused, pointing to “the partisan tone of the video.”
• Charlotte airport clarified that North Carolina local regulations and the airport's rules for digital content “do not permit the referenced video.” The airport also noted that the TSA lacks ownership of any monitors at its checkpoints and that its limited digital screens are designated for directions, flight updates, and revenue-generating services.

Westchester Criticism

Westchester County, in a statement, described the video “inappropriate, unacceptable, and out of line with the values we expect from our nation’s top public officials.”

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

DHS Response

A Department of Homeland Security official, an agency representative, repeated Noem’s wording to blame “partisan tactics” in a statement, stating that “Democrats will soon realize the importance of reopening the federal government.”

Cross-Party Appeals for Solution

The Port of Seattle said that it continued to “urge bipartisan efforts to resolve the federal closure” and was working to identify methods to support government workers unpaid during the shutdown.