🔗 Share this article

Several prominent global airports across the US, including Phoenix's Sky Harbor, Harry Reid International, Seattle-Tacoma International, and Charlotte Douglas Airport in North Carolina, have decided to prevent a public service announcement from Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem that blames Democratic lawmakers for the ongoing federal government shutdown from being shown at their security checkpoints.

Regulatory Concerns Cited by Aviation Officials

Airport officials in Phoenix, Arizona, Las Vegas, Seattle, Washington, Portland, Oregon, Charlotte, North Carolina, and Westchester, New York have refused to show the footage at screening areas, stating that the clearly partisan content could contravene federal and state regulations, including the Hatch Act of 1939, which prohibits government workers from participating in political campaigning.

“Congressional Democrats refuse to finance the federal government, and as a result, many of our operations are impacted, and most of our TSA workers are not receiving wages,” the Secretary said in the video.

Portland Reaction

The Port of Portland clarified that it “would not agree to playing the PSA in its current form, as we consider the federal law clearly prohibits utilization of government resources for political aims.” It added that state regulations in Oregon bars public employees from promoting or opposing any party affiliation and that agreeing to play this content would violate state law.

Las Vegas Statement

The Harry Reid International Airport also refused to show the security announcement on similar grounds, noting in a release that “the video's message contained partisan statements that did not align with the impartial, educational nature of the PSAs usually displayed at security checkpoints” and also cited the federal act.

Explaining the Hatch Act

The Hatch Act is a federal law that prohibits partisan actions by government employees to ensure that public services remain unbiased.

Additional Authority Responses

• Phoenix Sky Harbor international airport explained that it “declined to display the PSA” to stay “in line with airport guidelines,” which does not allow partisan material.
• The Seattle port authority, which manages Sea-Tac airport, also declined, citing “the partisan tone of the content.”
• Charlotte Douglas International Airport said that North Carolina local regulations and the airport's rules for digital content “do not permit the video in question.” The airport also added that the Transportation Security Administration lacks ownership of any screens at its security areas and that its few display monitors are designated for wayfinding, travel information, and revenue-generating services.

Westchester County Objection

Westchester County, in a statement, called the PSA “inappropriate, unacceptable, and out of line with the standards we expect from our federal leaders.”

“The PSA politicizes the impacts of a federal government shutdown on security operations,” the county executive stated, noting that the message was “overly alarming” and “erodes customer confidence.”

Homeland Security Reply

A Department of Homeland Security assistant secretary, Tricia McLaughlin, repeated the Secretary's language to blame “political gamesmanship” in a response, stating that “Democratic leaders will shortly realize the importance of reopening the federal government.”

Bipartisan Calls for Resolution

The Seattle authority commented that it continued to “urge cooperative actions to end the federal closure” and was working to find ways to assist government workers working without pay during the closure.