American Airports Refuse Homeland Security Video Faulting Democrats for Federal Closure

Several key global air travel hubs across the United States, among them Phoenix's Sky Harbor, Las Vegas's Harry Reid Airport, Seattle-Tacoma International, and Charlotte Douglas in North Carolina, have chosen to restrict a video from Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem that faults Democrats for the current government closure from playing at their screening locations.

Regulatory Issues Raised by Aviation Authorities

Airport authorities in Phoenix, Arizona, Las Vegas, Seattle, Portland, Charlotte, and Westchester County have refused to broadcast the video content at security checkpoints, stating that the overtly political messaging could violate state and federal law, such as the Hatch Act, which bars federal employees from engaging in partisan actions.

“Democrats in Congress decline to support funding for the U.S. government, and as a result, many of our activities are affected, and most of our Transportation Security Administration staff are working without pay,” the Secretary remarked in the announcement.

Portland Reaction

The Portland airport authority noted that it “would not agree to playing the PSA in its present version, as we consider the Hatch Act explicitly forbids utilization of government resources for partisan messaging.” The port further stated that Oregon law bars government staff from supporting or criticizing any party affiliation and that agreeing to broadcast this content would violate state law.

Las Vegas Statement

The Harry Reid International Airport also refused to display the security announcement on comparable reasons, saying in a release that “the video's message included political messaging that did not align with the neutral, educational purpose of the PSAs typically shown at checkpoint screens” and also referenced the Hatch Act.

Understanding the Hatch Act Regulations

The Hatch Act of 1939 is a federal law that bans political activities by government employees to guarantee that public services stay non-partisan.

Further Airport Responses

• Phoenix Sky Harbor international airport stated that it “declined to post the PSA” to stay “consistent with airport policy,” which prohibits political content.
• The Seattle port authority, which operates Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, also refused, citing “the political nature of the content.”
• Charlotte airport said that state local regulations and the airport’s policy for screen content “do not allow the referenced video.” The authority also noted that the Transportation Security Administration lacks ownership of any screens at its checkpoints and that its limited digital screens are reserved for wayfinding, travel information, and revenue-generating services.

Westchester Objection

Westchester County, in a public comment, called the video “unacceptable, unacceptable, and out of line with the values we anticipate from our nation’s top public officials.”

“The PSA makes political the impacts of a federal government shutdown on security operations,” the county leader stated, adding that the tone was “unnecessarily alarmist” and “undermines customer confidence.”

Homeland Security Response

A DHS official, Tricia McLaughlin, repeated Noem’s language to blame “political gamesmanship” in a response, stating that “Democrats will soon realize the significance of opening the federal government.”

Bipartisan Appeals for Solution

The Seattle authority said that it continued to “encourage bipartisan efforts to resolve the government shutdown” and was working to identify ways to support federal employees unpaid during the closure.