Last month, Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin floated removing Customs and Border Protection officers from airports in sanctuary cities. That way, international travelers would not be able to fly to these airports. At the time he suggested that since Democrats were refusing to fund the Department of Homeland Security, they should not benefit from it.
We’re just learning that Mullin met with airline and travel executives last week.
- He told them he’s serious about the plan to pressure sanctuary cities by cutting passenger and cargo screening at international airports
- This would happen after World Cup, which runs Jun 11, 2026 – Jul 19, 2026
This policy would most likely cover New York JFK; Los Angeles; Chicago O’Hare; Philadelphia; San Francisco; Seattle; Denver; Boston; Portland and Newark. And it would effectively mean an end to all international flights at affected airports.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy – who saved us from an illegal taxpayer bailout of Spirit Airlines – appears to be fighting this. He correctly says,
We shouldn’t shut down air travel in a state that doesn’t agree with our politics.
The Markwayne Mullin plan is literally insane. And that has nothing to do with what you think of sanctuary cities (which mostly amounts to signaling).
- The ‘airports’ frequently aren’t even in the same jurisdiction as so-called sanctuary cities. Washington, D.C. is a sanctuary city, but its airport (Washington National) is in Arlington, Virginia with no Federal Inspection facility. That facility is much further out at Dulles (Dulles, Virginia). San Francisco International Airport is actually in unincorporated San Mateo County, adjacent to Millbrae and San Bruno, not in the City and County of San Francisco. Seattle-Tacoma International Airport is actually in SeaTac, Washington.
And major airports like LAX (Los Angeles) and JFK (New York City) serve broad areas far beyond the cities with which they’re associated. People in Riverside, San Berndino and Orange County are flying non-stop to Los Angeles.
- Customs is not a ‘service for the city’ these are U.S. borders. Inspection is not processing people into a city, it is processing entry into the United States regardless of final destination. These hub airports are convenient ways to get to Red States! People from elsewhere in the country are connecting beyond Los Angeles. They still have to clear customs at places like LAX and Chicago. None of this is a municipal privilege.
- Attempts to punish lawful activity. The administration may disagree with the idea of sanctuary cities (which is not a legal category, but we’ll use it here even though it condenses a wide range of policies), but these policies generally mean local officials limit how much they help enforce federal immigration law. Congress lacks the power to issue orders directly to the states (this is known as ‘anti-commandeering’). The federal government can, to some extent, penalize non-cooperation but it cannot directly order state and local compliance.
- Customs regulations actually lay out the criteria for where to deploy and that doesn’t include local officials made us mad The regulations lay out need, suitability, facilities, and usefulness as reasons. Withdrawal is based on business volume, inadequate facilities, noncompliance with federal rules, or another location being more useful.
- Doesn’t even target punishment at their enemies If the complaint is that local police or jails will not help ICE, then isn’t shutting down the federal inspection point at the airport and pulling officers a self-own? It certainly doesn’t punish the decision-makers, it targets returning U.S. citizens, lawful travelers, airlines, airport workers, tourism, cargo shippers, and everyone trying to move through a legal port of entry. And even in blue cities and states a substantial plurality are the President’s supporters, too.
- Undermines the economy which, by the way, primarily hurts Republicans in the midterms. The Port of Los Angeles supports millions of jobs and handles about 31% of all U.S. containerized international shipping. Southern California cargo is crucial for the national economy, for exporters, workers, retailers, and consumers all over the country.
- What even happens to airline schedules? International arrivals have to be at an airport with a Federal Inspection Station. So flights bound for JFK, LAX, Chicago O’Hare, et al have to go where exactly? And with fuel prices high, probably nowhere? And without international connecting traffic, what do airlines do with connecting flights that are supported by those passengers? Are we heading back to another airline subsidies regime to counteract the damage?
I don’t think I can reasonably be described as part of the left. In fact, I was once erroneously introduced on Fox News as the author of View From The Right Wing. But this is not a smart suggestion even by the DHS Secretary’s own goals and priorities. And here some of you thought that the departure of Kristi Noem from DHS would mean a more serious policy regime. That appears to have been mistaken.
Yikes!
Just yikes!
reap what you sow
This kind of frap is a great reason for every airline and cargo company to put every filler available into defeating every Republican this fall and putting all of them in the No Fly List for each airline
Sorry for the typos. Every dollar available and put them on their no fly list
What do you say to the 25 or so International foreign airlines that have rights to land in ORD at certain time when you can’t process their passengers?
Then what do you do when those airlines tell you that the USA airlines can’t land in their countries until the matter is resolved.
Never underestimate the ignorance of the sole US Senator without a college degree to fail at critical thinking skills, let alone politics getting in the way of reason.
The Atlantic article this afternoon cites two sources at the meeting said he “may reduce staffing” – which is different from “eliminate.”
It also says “the locations could include Portland International Airport, in Oregon; New York City–area airports such as John F. Kennedy International Airport and Newark Liberty International Airport; and Washington Dulles International Airport”
A more narrow list than all sanctuary cities though doesn’t rule out others. Still a difficult position to consider.
Elect stupid. Expect stupid. Get stupid. I really, really, really hope they do this, asap.
While they’re at it, they should add DCA to the list since that would eliminate one of the barriers to The Arch de Moron being constructed.
This is 100% performative and has 0% chance of surviving a court challenge.
That said I guess ATL, DFW & IAH would survive?
@ 30west — I thought Mulin had a PhD from The Idiot’s University?
Maybe, just maybe that will get United to remember that they have a hub in DEN and international flights are allowed to takeoff from DEN.
As a friend said, the administration has a laugh running in the background. This idea is right up there with Mr. Kennedy’s brilliant public health ones.
This administration following the abuser’s playbook, yet again: “Look what you made me do…”
Intentionally creating dysfunctional, understaffed border crossings at any American city/airport doesn’t project ‘greatness’ to foreign visitors. Crippling our own national infrastructure to punish political opponents is a dangerous precedent.
So, what can/should blue states/cities do? Well, I’d say, fight the bullies. Don’t be Neville Chamberlain. We have real economic power and cultural influence.
Because, otherwise, surrendering a constitutional right under the Tenth Amendment just to stop a lawless threat doesn’t buy peace; it just proves that economic hostage-taking works. If cities fold on local autonomy today to save their airports, the administration will just target the next vital piece of infrastructure tomorrow. You don’t stop an abuser by capitulating.
@Boraxo — Hope so, or this administration really learned nothing from their overreach and failure in Minneapolis.
@Gene — Sun Tzu: “Never interrupt your opponent while he is in the middle of making a mistake.” Also: “The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting.” But, I do tend to prefer the meme-version: “It is only when mosquito land on your balls that you realize there is a way to solve problems without using violence…”
It would be a very bad idea, but it will not happen.
This is another political stunt by MM.
It’s not going to happen. There’s a segment of the population that would like this. He’s just performing for them.
@gene
Very funny PHD
I’d love to see this happen. Republicans fly too, and ruining all of their summer vacations right before an election might cause some of them to reconsider being members of what, at this point, is essentially a cult.