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Several major international airports across the US, such as Phoenix Sky Harbor, Las Vegas's Harry Reid Airport, Seattle–Tacoma, and Charlotte Douglas in NC, have chosen to block a public service announcement from Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem that attributes responsibility to Democrats for the current government closure from airing at their security checkpoints.

Legal Issues Cited by Aviation Officials

Aviation administrators in Phoenix, Arizona, Las Vegas, Nevada, Seattle, Portland, Oregon, Charlotte, and Westchester County have refused to display the footage at security checkpoints, stating that the overtly political messaging could contravene federal and state regulations, such as the Hatch Act, which prohibits federal employees from engaging in partisan political activity.

“Congressional Democrats refuse to finance the federal government, and as a result, many of our operations are affected, and most of our Transportation Security Administration staff are not receiving wages,” the Secretary remarked in the announcement.

The Port of Portland Reaction

The Port of Portland noted that it “would not agree to airing the PSA in its current form, as we maintain the Hatch Act clearly prohibits utilization of government resources for political aims.” It added that state regulations in Oregon prohibits government staff from promoting or opposing any party affiliation and that consenting to broadcast this video would break state law.

Las Vegas Statement

Las Vegas's Harry Reid International Airport also refused to show the security announcement on similar grounds, stating in a statement that “its content included partisan statements that did not align with the impartial, educational nature of the PSAs usually shown at checkpoint screens” and also referenced the federal act.

Explaining the Hatch Act Regulations

The Hatch Act of 1939 is a federal law that forbids political activities by government employees to guarantee that public services remain impartial.

Further Authority Responses

• Phoenix Sky Harbor international airport stated that it “refused to post the PSA” to stay “in line with airport guidelines,” which does not allow partisan material.
• The Port of Seattle, which operates Sea-Tac airport, similarly refused, pointing to “the partisan tone of the video.”
• Charlotte Douglas International Airport clarified that North Carolina local regulations and the airport’s policy for digital content “do not permit the referenced video.” The authority also added that the Transportation Security Administration does not own any screens at its security areas and that its limited display monitors are designated for directions, flight updates, and paid advertisements.

Westchester Objection

The county, in a public comment, described the video “inappropriate, improper, and inconsistent with the standards we anticipate from our nation’s top public officials.”

“The public service announcement makes political the effects of a federal government shutdown on TSA operations,” the county leader said, noting that the tone was “unnecessarily alarmist” and “undermines public trust.”

Homeland Security Response

A Department of Homeland Security official, Tricia McLaughlin, repeated Noem’s language to blame “political gamesmanship” in a response, stating that “Democratic leaders will shortly recognize the importance of reopening the federal government.”

Cross-Party Calls for Resolution

The Port of Seattle said that it continued to “urge cooperative actions to resolve the government shutdown” and was striving to identify methods to support government workers unpaid during the closure.