Overview
- Reporting on May 21 said Secretary Markwayne Mullin privately told airline and travel executives he is considering reducing or withholding Customs and Border Protection staffing at major U.S. hubs that serve jurisdictions labeled as sanctuary.
- Officials and reporting identified likely targets as New York area airports, Los Angeles, Chicago O'Hare, San Francisco, Seattle, Denver, Philadelphia, Portland and Washington Dulles.
- Airlines and trade groups warned the move would cause severe operational disruption and economic harm by forcing international flights and cargo to be rerouted and by breaking connections that support many domestic schedules.
- Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy publicly disavowed support for shutting air travel for political reasons and analysts note customs placement and withdrawal are governed by operational rules that do not list municipal immigration cooperation as a criterion.
- Implementation remains uncertain because of legal, regulatory and practical limits, strong industry pushback and interagency disagreement, with multiple accounts saying any steps would most likely come after the July 2026 World Cup.