A new pressure tactic targeting sanctuary cities could hit travelers and local economies where it hurts most — at the airport.
According to Fox News, Markwayne Mullin, serving as Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, signaled that the federal government may consider halting customs processing at international airports located in cities that do not cooperate with federal immigration enforcement.
The idea, he suggested during an appearance on Special Report, would be to use federal control over airport entry points as leverage against local governments that maintain sanctuary policies.
“This one area we may take a look at is some of these cities have international airports,” he said. “If they’re a sanctuary city, should they really be processing customs into their city?”
Such a move could carry major consequences for cities like New York City, New Orleans, and Philadelphia, where international travel plays a key role in commerce and tourism.
Blocking customs operations could effectively prevent travelers from entering through those hubs, disrupting business activity and tax revenue tied to global arrivals.
Mullin argued that sanctuary policies put cities at odds with federal law and should not exempt them from broader immigration enforcement priorities.
Because DHS oversees agencies such as Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Customs and Border Protection, and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, international airports present a unique point of control in the ongoing clash between federal authorities and local jurisdictions.
Other major cities that could be affected include Seattle, Los Angeles, Denver, Chicago, and Newark.
In Philadelphia, District Attorney Larry Krasner recently held a conference at Philadelphia International Airport where he again warned of potential legal action against federal immigration agents.
The standoff highlights an escalating conflict over immigration enforcement, with airports now emerging as a potential battleground between local policies and federal authority.
