US Air Hubs Refuse Homeland Security Video Faulting Democratic Party for Government Shutdown

Several major global air travel hubs across the US, such as Phoenix's Sky Harbor, Harry Reid International, Seattle–Tacoma, and Charlotte Douglas in North Carolina, have decided to restrict a public service announcement from Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem that attributes responsibility to Democrats for the ongoing government closure from playing at their screening locations.

Legal Concerns Raised by Aviation Authorities

Airport officials in Phoenix, Las Vegas, Nevada, Seattle, Portland, Charlotte, and Westchester County have declined to broadcast the footage at security checkpoints, stating that the overtly political messaging could violate federal and state regulations, including the Hatch Act of 1939, which prohibits federal employees from participating in partisan actions.

“Congressional Democrats decline to finance the federal government, and because of this, many of our activities are disrupted, and most of our Transportation Security Administration workers are working without pay,” the Secretary stated in the announcement.

Portland Reaction

The Port of Portland noted that it “would not agree to playing the video in its present version, as we maintain the federal law explicitly forbids use of public assets for partisan messaging.” It added that Oregon law bars public employees from promoting or opposing any political party and that consenting to play this content would violate Oregon law.

Las Vegas Position

The Harry Reid International Airport also declined to show the TSA video on comparable reasons, stating in a statement that “the video's message included partisan statements that did not align with the impartial, informational nature of the PSAs usually shown at security checkpoints” and also cited the federal act.

Understanding the Hatch Act

The Hatch Act is a federal law that prohibits partisan actions by government employees to guarantee that government programs remain unbiased.

Further Airport Responses

• Phoenix airport international airport explained that it “declined to post the video” to stay “in line with airport policy,” which prohibits political content.
• The Seattle port authority, which operates Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, similarly declined, citing “the political nature of the content.”
• Charlotte Douglas International Airport clarified that North Carolina municipal law and the airport's rules for digital content “do not permit the referenced video.” The airport also added that the Transportation Security Administration lacks ownership of any monitors at its security areas and that its limited digital screens are reserved for wayfinding, flight updates, and revenue-generating services.

Westchester County Criticism

Westchester County, in a public comment, described the PSA “inappropriate, unacceptable, and inconsistent with the values we anticipate from our nation’s top public officials.”

“The public service announcement politicizes the impacts of a government closure on security operations,” the county leader stated, adding that the message was “unnecessarily alarmist” and “erodes customer confidence.”

Homeland Security Reply

A DHS assistant secretary, an agency representative, echoed the Secretary's wording to blame “political gamesmanship” in a statement, stating that “Democratic leaders will shortly recognize the importance of opening the federal government.”

Cross-Party Calls for Resolution

The Seattle authority commented that it continued to “urge bipartisan efforts to resolve the federal closure” and was striving to identify ways to support federal employees working without pay during the closure.