Travel industry condemns Mullin's idea to withhold customs at sanctuary city airports
AP News • • nation
Key Points:
- Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin has reiterated a threat to withdraw U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers from airports in sanctuary cities, potentially disrupting international flights.
- The U.S. Travel Association and major airlines strongly condemned the proposal, warning it would have devastating consequences for the travel industry and communities reliant on international visitors.
- Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy expressed skepticism about the idea, emphasizing that restricting travel based on political views would be harmful and counterproductive.
- The proposal’s support within the administration remains unclear, though President Trump has previously threatened to withhold funding from sanctuary cities, a move courts have historically blocked.
- Airlines for America highlighted that reducing CBP staffing at major airports would cause significant operational disruptions to airlines, travelers, and international cargo flows.