CBP officers – The travel industry is bracing for disruption after Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin reiterated a threat to remove U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers from airports in “sanctuary cities.” U.S. Travel says the move would be devastating, majo
The week didn’t start with a court filing or a new airline timetable. It started with a warning aimed at airports—one that could ripple through international flights and the communities that rely on them.
Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin reiterated a threat to withdraw U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers from airports in so-called “sanctuary cities. ” a move that. in the view of the travel industry. could jeopardize international travel. The U.S. Travel Association said Mullin confirmed he is considering withdrawing CPB officers during a meeting where the trade group pressed its concerns about other proposals the Trump administration is considering that could hamper travel.
U.S. Travel and major airlines quickly condemned the idea. U.S. Travel said Friday in a statement that such a move would have “devastating consequences for the travel industry and communities that depend on international visitation.”
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy went further. telling a Congressional hearing earlier this week that he wasn’t familiar with Mullin’s remarks and said he’d like to learn more about the context—possibly even asking Mullin a question about what he meant. But Duffy also said restricting travel based on political views would be a bad idea. warning that people eventually switch roles. “You will all switch spots at one point — hopefully not too soon Mr. Chairman,” Duffy said.
He argued that the federal government shouldn’t treat flight access like a partisan lever. “We have people from around the world and around the country that need to be able to fly into all different kinds of places. We shouldn’t shut down air travel in a state that doesn’t agree with our politics,” Duffy said.
So far, it’s unclear how much support this idea has inside the administration. President Donald Trump has previously threatened to withhold funding from sanctuary cities. but there is no strict definition for sanctuary policies or sanctuary cities. The terms generally describe limited cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Courts have also rejected the idea of pulling funding from sanctuary cities in the past.
In Trump’s first term, in 2017, courts struck down his effort to cut funding to the cities. That history hangs over the latest airport threat, even as it remains unclear exactly which cities and airports Mullin might target.
What is known is that the Justice Department last year published a list of three dozen states, cities and counties that it considers to be sanctuary jurisdictions. The uncertainty over which locations would be hit feeds the travel sector’s fear that the operational fallout could be immediate.
Airlines for America, a trade group, said the plan would hurt the economy and disrupt travel. “Reducing CBP staffing at major airports would have a devastating effect on the airline and tourism industries. causing a significant operational disruption to carriers. travelers and the flow of international cargo.”.
For international travelers. the issue is simple: flights depend on staffing that clears passengers and goods at the places where the world comes in. For the industry. the fear is that a political fight over sanctuary cities could translate into delays. lower capacity. and higher friction—turning what’s usually an efficiency story into a disruption story—before anyone can confirm which airports might be next.
sanctuary cities CBP officers Markwayne Mullin U.S. Travel Association Sean Duffy international flights Airlines for America Homeland Security travel disruption