The travel industry is on high alert following a statement from Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, who has reiterated his threat to pull U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers from airports located in “sanctuary cities.” This action could significantly impact international flights, causing widespread concern.
During a recent meeting, Mullin confirmed he is contemplating the removal of CBP officers, a move that has alarmed the U.S. Travel Association. The association, which was advocating against other travel-restrictive proposals being considered by the Trump administration, expressed its strong opposition. Major airlines also quickly denounced the proposal, and even Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy voiced his skepticism about its practicality.
“U.S. Travel believes such a move would have devastating consequences for the travel industry and communities that rely heavily on international visitors,” the association stated on Friday.
The details of this meeting were initially reported by The Atlantic.
In a Congressional hearing earlier this week, Duffy mentioned his lack of awareness regarding Mullin’s comments, expressing a desire to understand the context and possibly question Mullin further. Duffy stressed that restricting travel based on political ideologies is ill-advised, noting that political dynamics can shift. “At some point, Democrats will be in charge, and roles will reverse — hopefully not too soon, Mr. Chairman,” he remarked.
“People from around the globe and across the nation need the ability to fly to various destinations. We shouldn’t halt air travel to states with differing political views,” Duffy asserted.
So it’s not clear how much support this idea has within the administration, though President Donald Trump has previously threatened to withhold funding from sanctuary cities.
There is no strict definition for sanctuary policies or sanctuary cities, but the terms generally describe limited cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. And courts have rejected the idea of pulling funding from them in the past.
In Trump’s first term in office, in 2017, courts struck down his effort to cut funding to the cities.
It’s not clear exactly which cities and airports Mullin might target, but the Justice Department last year published a list of three dozen states, cities and counties that it considers to be sanctuary jurisdictions.
The Airlines for America trade group was quick to say the idea 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.”
