🔗 Share this article American Air Hubs Block Homeland Security Video Blaming Democratic Party for Federal Closure A number of key international airports across the US, such as Phoenix Sky Harbor, Las Vegas's Harry Reid Airport, Seattle-Tacoma International, and Charlotte Douglas Airport in NC, have decided to restrict a public service announcement from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem that attributes responsibility to Democratic lawmakers for the ongoing government closure from airing at their security checkpoints. Legal Issues Cited by Airport Authorities Airport authorities in Phoenix, Las Vegas, Seattle, Washington, Portland, Oregon, Charlotte, North Carolina, and Westchester County have refused to show the footage at screening areas, stating that the overtly political messaging could contravene state and federal law, including the Hatch Act, which forbids federal employees from participating in partisan political activity. “Congressional Democrats decline to fund the federal government, and as a result, many of our operations are impacted, and most of our TSA employees are not receiving wages,” Noem stated in the video. The Port of Portland Reaction The Portland airport authority noted that it “did not consent to airing the video in its current form, as we consider the federal law explicitly forbids use of public assets for partisan messaging.” It added that state regulations in Oregon bars public employees from promoting or opposing any political party and that agreeing to broadcast this content would break state law. Las Vegas Position Las Vegas's Harry Reid airport also declined to display the security announcement on similar grounds, saying in a release that “the video's message included partisan statements that did not align with the neutral, educational nature of the PSAs usually shown at checkpoint screens” and also cited the Hatch Act. Understanding the Hatch Act The Hatch Act of 1939 is a federal law that bans partisan actions by government employees to guarantee that government programs remain non-partisan. Additional Airport Responses Phoenix Sky Harbor international airport stated that it “refused to post the video” to remain “consistent with airport policy,” which prohibits partisan material. The Port of Seattle, which operates Sea-Tac airport, similarly refused, citing “the political nature of the video.” Charlotte airport said that state local regulations and the airport’s policy for digital content “do not permit the referenced video.” The airport also noted that the Transportation Security Administration lacks ownership of any screens at its checkpoints and that its limited display monitors are reserved for wayfinding, travel information, and paid advertisements. Westchester County Criticism Westchester County, in a public comment, described the video “unacceptable, unacceptable, and inconsistent with the values we expect from our nation’s top public officials.” “The PSA politicizes the impacts of a federal government shutdown on security operations,” the county executive stated, adding that the tone was “overly alarming” and “undermines public trust.” DHS Response A Department of Homeland Security assistant secretary, an agency representative, repeated the Secretary's wording to blame “political gamesmanship” in a statement, adding that “Democratic leaders will soon realize the significance of opening the federal government.” Bipartisan Calls for Resolution The Port of Seattle said that it continued to “encourage bipartisan efforts to end the government shutdown” and was striving to find ways to assist federal employees unpaid during the shutdown.