🔗 Share this article

A number of prominent international airports across the America, including Phoenix's Sky Harbor, Harry Reid International, Seattle–Tacoma, and Charlotte Douglas in North Carolina, have chosen to restrict a video from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem that faults Democrats for the continuing government closure from being shown at their checkpoint areas.

Regulatory Concerns Raised by Airport Authorities

Aviation administrators in Phoenix, Las Vegas, Seattle, Washington, Portland, Oregon, Charlotte, North Carolina, and Westchester County have declined to broadcast the video content at screening areas, stating that the overtly political messaging could violate state and federal law, such as the Hatch Act, which prohibits government workers from participating in political campaigning.

“Democratic legislators refuse to support funding for the federal government, and because of this, many of our functions are affected, and most of our Transportation Security Administration employees are not receiving wages,” Noem said in the video.

The Port of Portland Response

The Portland airport authority clarified that it “did not consent to playing the video in its current form, as we maintain the Hatch Act explicitly forbids utilization of government resources for political aims.” The port further stated that state regulations in Oregon bars public employees from supporting or criticizing any political party and that agreeing to broadcast this video would violate Oregon law.

Las Vegas Position

The Harry Reid International Airport also refused to display the security announcement on similar grounds, saying in a statement that “its content contained political messaging that was inconsistent with the impartial, educational purpose of the PSAs typically shown at checkpoint screens” and also referenced the federal act.

Explaining the Hatch Act

The Hatch Act of 1939 is a federal law that prohibits partisan actions by federal employees to ensure that public services remain non-partisan.

Further Airport Responses

• Phoenix airport airport explained that it “declined to display the video” to stay “consistent with airport policy,” which does not allow political content.
• The Port of Seattle, which manages Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, also declined, citing “the partisan tone of the content.”
• Charlotte Douglas International Airport clarified that state municipal law and the airport’s policy for digital content “do not allow the video in question.” The airport also added that the Transportation Security Administration does not own any monitors at its checkpoints and that its limited display monitors are reserved for wayfinding, travel information, and revenue-generating services.

Westchester Objection

The county, in a statement, described the PSA “unacceptable, improper, and inconsistent with the standards we expect from our federal leaders.”

“The PSA makes political the effects of a government closure on security operations,” the county executive stated, noting that the message was “overly alarming” and “undermines customer confidence.”

Homeland Security Response

A DHS assistant secretary, an agency representative, repeated the Secretary's wording to attribute fault to “political gamesmanship” in a statement, adding that “Democratic leaders will shortly realize the importance of opening the federal government.”

Bipartisan Appeals for Solution

The Port of Seattle said that it continued to “urge bipartisan efforts to resolve the federal closure” and was working to find ways to support government workers working without pay during the shutdown.