Homeland Security Department Secretary Markwayne Mullin privately warned officials could stop processing international travelers and cargo at major U.S. airports in “sanctuary cities” that have declined to cooperate with the Trump administration’s hardline immigration crackdown, sources told Reuters.
Mullin, who publicly made the threat in April during a DHS funding dispute, privately told travel executives last week that the department could opt to stop processing international travelers at multiple major airports.
These include facilities in Denver, Philadelphia, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York City, Newark, Seattle and San Francisco.
The Atlantic earlier reported Mullin’s comments to travel executives.
Sanctuary jurisdictions are cities and counties that adopt policies limiting their cooperation with federal immigration enforcement, typically by declining to honor Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainer requests absent a judicial warrant, or by restricting how much local law enforcement assists in identifying or transferring undocumented immigrants to federal custody.
Supporters say these policies are designed to preserve trust between immigrant communities and local police so residents will report crimes without fear of immigration consequences, while critics argue they can hinder federal efforts to enforce immigration law.
