🔗 Share this article

A number of key global airports across the US, including Phoenix's Sky Harbor, Harry Reid International, Seattle–Tacoma, and Charlotte Douglas Airport in North Carolina, have chosen to prevent a video from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem that attributes responsibility to Democratic lawmakers for the continuing federal government shutdown from being shown at their security checkpoints.

Legal Issues Cited by Airport Authorities

Airport officials in Phoenix, Las Vegas, Nevada, Seattle, Washington, Portland, Charlotte, North Carolina, and Westchester, New York have declined to show the video content at screening areas, stating that the political statements could violate federal and state regulations, including the Hatch Act, which bars federal employees from engaging in partisan political activity.

“Democrats in Congress decline to support funding for the U.S. government, and because of this, many of our activities are affected, and most of our Transportation Security Administration staff are working without pay,” Noem stated in the video.

Portland Response

The Port of Portland clarified that it “did not consent to playing the video in its current form, as we maintain the federal law clearly prohibits utilization of government resources for political purposes.” The port further stated that state regulations in Oregon bars public employees from promoting or opposing any party affiliation and that consenting to broadcast this content would violate Oregon law.

Harry Reid International Statement

The Harry Reid International Airport also refused to show the security announcement on comparable reasons, stating in a statement that “its content included political messaging that did not align with the neutral, informational purpose of the public service announcements usually displayed at checkpoint screens” and also referenced the federal act.

Explaining the Hatch Act

The Hatch Act of 1939 is a federal law that bans political activities by government employees to ensure that public services remain unbiased.

Further Airport Rejections

• Phoenix airport international airport stated that it “declined to post the video” to stay “consistent with airport guidelines,” which prohibits political content.
• The Port of Seattle, which manages Sea-Tac airport, also refused, citing “the political nature of the content.”
• Charlotte airport clarified that state municipal law and the airport's rules for screen content “do not permit the referenced video.” The authority also noted that the Transportation Security Administration does not own any screens at its security areas and that its limited digital screens are designated for wayfinding, travel information, and revenue-generating services.

Westchester County Criticism

Westchester County, in a statement, described the video “unacceptable, improper, and out of line with the standards we anticipate from our federal leaders.”

“The PSA makes political the effects of a federal government shutdown on TSA operations,” the county leader stated, adding that the tone was “overly alarming” and “erodes public trust.”

Homeland Security Reply

A DHS official, an agency representative, repeated the Secretary's language to attribute fault to “political gamesmanship” in a statement, adding that “Democrats will shortly realize the importance of reopening the government.”

Bipartisan Calls for Resolution

The Port of Seattle said that it continued to “urge cooperative actions to end the government shutdown” and was working to find ways to assist government workers working without pay during the closure.