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U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin announced on Tuesday that the Trump administration is drawing up plans to halt all international immigration and customs processing at major airports within “sanctuary cities.”
The retaliatory measure targets Democratic-led jurisdictions that refuse to cooperate with the US government’s immigration crackdown.
If executed, the policy could ground international commerce and air travel at major global hubs just weeks before millions of foreign fans arrive for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Mullin confirmed the ongoing planning during a Fox News interview, stating that the US government should withhold processing services from cities where local officials actively block federal law enforcement.
The targeted hubs include some of the busiest airports in the United States, spanning New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco, Newark, Boston, Seattle, Denver, and Philadelphia.
The travel and aviation sectors immediately sounded the alarm over the severe economic fallout of withdrawing Customs and Border Protection (CBP) personnel.
The U.S. Travel Association and airline industry group Airlines for America both warned that the move would cause catastrophic disruptions to global flight schedules, strand millions of travellers, and freeze international cargo networks.
Meanwhile, Democrats defended the local policies, arguing that federal border agencies require urgent oversight following recent high-profile enforcement abuses.
