🔗 Share this article American Airports Block Homeland Security PSA Blaming Democratic Party for Government Shutdown A number of prominent global airports across the United States, among them Phoenix Sky Harbor, Harry Reid International, Seattle-Tacoma International, and Charlotte Douglas in North Carolina, have chosen to restrict a video from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem that faults Democratic lawmakers for the current federal government shutdown from airing at their screening locations. Legal Concerns Raised by Airport Authorities Airport officials in Phoenix, Las Vegas, Nevada, Seattle, Portland, Charlotte, and Westchester, New York have declined to display the footage at screening areas, stating that the overtly political messaging could contravene federal and state regulations, such as the Hatch Act of 1939, which prohibits federal employees from participating in political campaigning. “Democrats in Congress refuse to finance the U.S. government, and as a result, many of our operations are impacted, and most of our TSA staff are working without pay,” Noem stated in the announcement. Portland Reaction The Port of Portland explained that it “would not agree to airing the PSA in its present version, as we maintain the federal law clearly prohibits use of public assets for political purposes.” The port further stated that state regulations in Oregon bars government staff from promoting or opposing any political party and that agreeing to play this video would violate state law. Las Vegas Statement Las Vegas's Harry Reid airport also declined to display the TSA video on similar grounds, stating in a release that “the video's message contained political messaging that was inconsistent with the neutral, educational purpose of the PSAs usually shown at checkpoint screens” and also cited the federal act. Understanding the Hatch Act The Hatch Act is a U.S. law that bans partisan actions by government employees to guarantee that public services stay non-partisan. Additional Authority Responses Phoenix Sky Harbor international airport explained that it “refused to display the video” to remain “consistent with airport policy,” which does not allow partisan material. The Seattle port authority, which operates Sea-Tac airport, also declined, pointing to “the political nature of the content.” Charlotte Douglas International Airport said that North Carolina municipal law and the airport’s policy for screen content “do not allow the referenced video.” The airport also noted that the TSA does not own any screens at its checkpoints and that its few display monitors are designated for wayfinding, flight updates, and paid advertisements. Westchester Objection The county, in a statement, called the PSA “inappropriate, unacceptable, and inconsistent with the standards we anticipate from our federal leaders.” “The public service announcement makes political the impacts of a federal government shutdown on security operations,” the county leader said, adding that the tone was “overly alarming” and “undermines public trust.” DHS Reply A DHS official, an agency representative, repeated Noem’s wording to blame “partisan tactics” in a response, adding that “Democratic leaders will shortly recognize the importance of reopening the government.” Cross-Party Appeals for Solution The Port of Seattle said that it continued to “urge bipartisan efforts to resolve the government shutdown” and was striving to find methods to support government workers working without pay during the closure.