Trump considers halting airport customs processing in sanctuary cities
A threat to pull customs officers from sanctuary-city airports could jam international arrivals and cargo at hubs from San Francisco to New York.
The Trump administration’s threat to strip customs and immigration processing from airports in sanctuary cities could ripple far beyond immigration enforcement, hitting international travel, cargo flows and the daily operations of major U.S. hubs. Airports in Boston, Denver, Philadelphia, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York City, Newark, Seattle and San Francisco were among those named as possible targets, with the proposal reaching not only arriving passengers but also freight moving through U.S. Customs and Border Protection checkpoints.
Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin first privately warned officials that the administration could stop processing international travelers and cargo at those airports, then said the government was drawing up plans to do it. By May 27, Mullin said the administration was “not initiating” the effort “yet,” but was “currently drawing up plans” for it. No final decision had been made as of May 26.
The move would mark a sharp escalation in the administration’s fight with sanctuary cities, which limit cooperation with federal immigration authorities. The Justice Department had already published a list of sanctuary cities and states that included several of the nation’s biggest international-airport hubs, turning a policy fight into a potential disruption for airlines, airports and importers that depend on steady federal staffing.
The stakes are especially high at San Francisco International Airport, where local reporting said the threat could cripple SFO and the Bay Area economy. International flights do not just bring passengers; they also deliver business travelers, tourists and cargo that support airlines, logistics firms, hotels and surrounding commerce. Pulling back customs processing would create delays at the border of the airport system itself, where federal officers clear people and goods before they can enter the country.
The travel industry responded with alarm. Airlines, airport operators and business groups warned that withdrawing U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers could jeopardize international service and invite costly litigation. The Associated Press said the industry was on edge after Mullin repeated the threat, underscoring how quickly a political standoff over immigration could become a national transportation issue. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy also criticized the idea, calling it a bad one.
The administration’s threat fit into a broader immigration crackdown that has repeatedly targeted Democratic-run cities. But the proposal’s reach, touching both passenger arrivals and cargo processing at some of the country’s busiest gateways, suggested a conflict that could spill into commerce well beyond sanctuary-city politics.
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