Trump administration ‘drawing up plans’ to stop processing international flights in sanctuary cities

Key Points:

• The Trump administration, led by Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, is considering stopping immigration processing at international airports in major cities with sanctuary laws in response to protests against immigration enforcement.
• The move targets cities like Newark, where Democratic lawmakers have criticized conditions at the Delaney Hall ICE detention facility, which is currently the site of a hunger and work strike by detained immigrants demanding better conditions and medical care.
• Mullin accused Democratic politicians, including Senator Andy Kim who was pepper-sprayed during protests, of politicizing the situation and suggested that if local authorities obstruct federal immigration enforcement, federal services like international flight processing should also be withdrawn.
• Sanctuary laws limit cooperation between local police and federal immigration authorities but do not block ICE operations; the administration’s threat to halt airport processing is a new escalation in the conflict over immigration enforcement.
• Meanwhile, oversight visits by lawmakers like Congressman Adriano Espaillat have highlighted concerns about overcrowding, poor food, and inadequate medical care at the detention center, fueling calls to shut the facility down.