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Several prominent international air travel hubs across the America, among them Phoenix's Sky Harbor, Las Vegas's Harry Reid Airport, Seattle-Tacoma International, and Charlotte Douglas in NC, have decided to restrict a video from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem that blames Democrats for the continuing government closure from being shown at their screening locations.

Legal Issues Raised by Aviation Officials

Airport officials in Phoenix, Las Vegas, Nevada, Seattle, Portland, Oregon, Charlotte, North Carolina, and Westchester, New York have refused to display the video content at screening areas, stating that the political statements could breach 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 U.S. government, and as a result, many of our functions are disrupted, and most of our TSA workers are unpaid,” the Secretary said in the video.

Portland Response

The Port of Portland noted that it “did not consent to displaying the video in its present version, as we consider the federal law explicitly forbids use of public assets for partisan messaging.” The port further stated that Oregon law prohibits public employees from supporting or criticizing any party affiliation and that agreeing to play this content would break state law.

Las Vegas Position

Las Vegas's Harry Reid International Airport also declined to show the TSA video on comparable reasons, noting in a statement that “its content contained partisan statements that was inconsistent with the impartial, informational nature of the public service announcements usually shown at checkpoint screens” and also referenced the federal act.

Explaining the Hatch Act Regulations

The Hatch Act is a U.S. law that bans partisan actions by federal employees to ensure that public services stay non-partisan.

Additional Airport Responses

• Phoenix airport airport explained that it “declined to display the video” to remain “consistent with airport policy,” which prohibits partisan material.
• The Port of Seattle, which operates Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, also refused, pointing to “the political nature of the content.”
• Charlotte Douglas International Airport clarified that North Carolina local regulations and the airport’s policy for screen content “do not allow the video in question.” The airport also added that the TSA does not own any monitors at its security areas and that its few display monitors are designated for directions, travel information, and revenue-generating services.

Westchester Criticism

The county, in a statement, called the video “unacceptable, improper, and out of line with the values we anticipate from our nation’s top public officials.”

“The PSA makes political the effects of a federal government shutdown on TSA operations,” the county leader said, adding that the tone was “unnecessarily alarmist” and “erodes customer confidence.”

Homeland Security Response

A Department of Homeland Security official, Tricia McLaughlin, repeated Noem’s language to blame “partisan tactics” in a statement, adding that “Democratic leaders will soon realize the importance of opening the government.”

Bipartisan Appeals for Solution

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