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Several major global airports across the US, such as Phoenix's Sky Harbor, Harry Reid International, Seattle-Tacoma International, and Charlotte Douglas Airport in North Carolina, have decided to prevent a public service announcement from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem that attributes responsibility to Democrats for the current government closure from being shown at their security checkpoints.

Regulatory Concerns Cited by Airport Authorities

Aviation administrators in Phoenix, Las Vegas, Seattle, Portland, Oregon, Charlotte, and Westchester County have refused to display the video content at screening areas, stating that the political statements could violate federal and state regulations, such as the Hatch Act, which prohibits federal employees from participating in partisan actions.

“Democratic legislators decline to finance the U.S. government, and as a result, many of our activities are disrupted, and most of our Transportation Security Administration workers are unpaid,” Noem said in the video.

The Port of Portland Reaction

The Port of Portland clarified that it “did not consent to displaying the PSA in its current form, as we consider the federal law explicitly forbids utilization of government resources for political purposes.” The port further stated that Oregon law bars public employees from promoting or opposing any party affiliation and that agreeing to broadcast this content would violate state law.

Harry Reid International Position

Las Vegas's Harry Reid International Airport also refused to show the TSA video on comparable reasons, stating in a statement that “the video's message included partisan statements that did not align with the impartial, educational purpose of the public service announcements usually displayed at checkpoint screens” and also referenced the Hatch Act.

Explaining the Hatch Act

The Hatch Act is a U.S. law that forbids partisan actions by government employees to guarantee that public services stay unbiased.

Further Authority Responses

• Phoenix airport airport stated that it “refused to display the video” to stay “consistent with airport guidelines,” which prohibits partisan material.
• The Seattle port authority, which operates Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, also refused, citing “the partisan tone of the content.”
• Charlotte airport clarified that North Carolina municipal law and the airport’s policy for screen content “do not permit the video in question.” The airport also noted that the TSA does not own any monitors at its security areas and that its few digital screens are designated for directions, travel information, and revenue-generating services.

Westchester Objection

Westchester County, in a statement, called 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 impacts of a government closure on TSA operations,” the county leader stated, noting that the message was “unnecessarily alarmist” and “undermines customer confidence.”

DHS Reply

A Department of Homeland Security official, an agency representative, repeated Noem’s wording to blame “political gamesmanship” in a statement, stating that “Democrats will shortly recognize the importance of reopening the government.”

Cross-Party Calls for Resolution

The Seattle authority said that it continued to “urge bipartisan efforts to end the government shutdown” and was striving to identify methods to support federal employees unpaid during the closure.