The Department of Homeland Security is considering removing Customs and Border Protection officers from international airports in so-called “sanctuary cities.”
It is unclear how the plan would be implemented, as many U.S. airports are located in Democratic-led cities. Last year, the Department of Justice released a list of jurisdictions it considers sanctuaries for migrants in the country illegally.
The DOJ says those cities and states impede the enforcement of federal immigration laws. Many of these jurisdictions argue they are under no obligation to assist federal authorities with immigration violations, such as expired visas and work permits.
RELATED STORY | JFK airport begins Ebola health screening for travelers returning from central Africa
Cities on the list include Chicago, San Francisco, Seattle, Los Angeles and New York — all home to some of the nation’s busiest international airports.
“We are currently drawing up plans to say, listen, these sanctuary cities where radical left Democrats aren’t allowing us to do our job and enforce federal laws — we shouldn’t be processing international flights into their cities, either,” Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said in a Fox News interview. “They don’t want us to enforce immigration.”
Indiana Sen. Jim Banks told Fox News he supports the measure, saying it could benefit states such as Texas and Indiana.
“I think Markwayne is onto something here; it’s a good idea,” Banks said. “It is one way we can crack down on what these mayors have created.”
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy pushed back, testifying before Congress last week.
“We have people from around the world that need to be able to fly into all different kinds of places,” Duffy said. “We shouldn’t shut down air travel in a state that doesn’t agree with our politics.”
RELATED STORY | DOJ identifies 35 ‘sanctuary jurisdictions’ in immigration crackdown
The U.S. Travel Association also opposes the proposal, as many international passengers enter the U.S. for the World Cup.
“Pulling CBP officers from airports would cause a severe, self-inflicted economic wound,” the organization said. “American citizens trying to get home, international visitors, and the success of a once-in-a-generation global event cannot be used as leverage in disputes over immigration policy. We urge all parties to find solutions without impacting travel.”
In 2025, there were more than 1.8 million international flights carrying 259 million passengers. New York’s JFK was the busiest U.S. airport for international travel, followed by Los Angeles, Miami and San Francisco.
