Posted on 05/27/2026 8:54:22 AM PDT by sopo
What you need to know about Trump and sanctuary cities Trump administration considers plans to halt immigration and customs processing at airports in Democratic Party-run cities Travel and trade could face disruption with the suspension of international passenger and cargo arrivals Airlines, tourism groups, and even some administration figures warn the move would severely harm the economy
The Trump administration is "drawing up plans" to halt immigration and customs processing at so-called "sanctuary cities," US Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin has said.
The cities, which are all run by Democrats, have refused to work with the White House in its crackdown on irregular immigration.
The plans would essentially halt all international passenger and cargo arrivals at major airports in Democratic-run states.
Millions of foreign tourists are expected to travel to the US for the FIFA World Cup, which starts in June.
In an interview broadcast on Fox News' The Sean Hannity Show on Tuesday, Mullin said "we're currently drawing up plans" but added that no decision had been made about whether to proceed.
The Homeland Security secretary, who took over from Kristi Noem after she was removed from the position in March, insisted that US authorities "shouldn't be processing international flights into" so-called sanctuary cities.
Mullin said, "local radical left Democrats aren't allowing us to do our job and enforce federal laws. The Trump administration has sent Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents to several Democratic-run cities as part of its clampdown on irregular immigration and mass deportation drive. The White House has also deployed federal National Guard troops to some cities, including Los Angeles and Washington, DC.
While there is no fixed definition of a "sanctuary city," the US Justice Department published a list in August 2025 of cities and states that it claims "impede enforcement of federal immigration laws." The vast majority are run by Democrats.
Some of the largest cities included on the list are Boston, Denver, Philadelphia, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York City, Newark, Seattle and San Francisco.
The Trump administration's hard-line immigration crackdown has been met with fierce opposition in many of those cities. In Minnesota, two US citizens were shot dead during altercations with agents from ICE and Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
Democrats in Congress withheld funding for the Department of Homeland Security in protest over ICE and what they saw as excessive immigration enforcement policies. The standoff led to the department's shutdown until President Donald Trump signed a funding bill in late April.
Mullin's threats to pull immigration officers from certain US international airports, first reported in US media last week, have alarmed the travel industry.
The US Travel Association and major airlines have condemned the plans. In a statement on Friday, the group said it "believes such a move would have devastating consequences for the travel industry and communities that depend on international visitation."
In a separate statement, the Airlines for America trade group said: "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."
Opposition to the plans has also come from within the Trump administration. Transport Secretary Sean Duffy told a congressional hearing last week that it would be "a bad idea to start restricting travel based on political views."
"We have people from around the world and around the country that need to be able to fly into all different kinds of places. We shouldn't shut down air travel in a state that doesn't agree with our politics," Duffy said.
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I’ll bet the libtard, progressive judges are writing their orders right now.
Perfect. Don’t let them go on without consequences.
Interesting. Process them all on Martha’s Vineyard.
The politicians are so terrified of the tech bros we have brought 3 million+ Indians over here and fired 3 million+ American white tech guys. And nobody talks about it. Not one media report in sight. It is breathtaking.
Mullin said, “local radical left Democrats aren’t allowing us to do our job and enforce federal laws.“
Arrest them!!!!!
spot enforcement during ICE surges in a particular city might get more local cooperation without extensive economic consequence they speak of, plus effect of a demostration project to others.
Airlines will make more from the connecting flights that international travelers will have to book to get to and from their final destinations that no longer have immigration and customs processing. Will also make illegal entries and the ability to flee the law more difficult. Win win!
love to see that
“Interesting. Process them all on Martha’s Vineyard.”
How do they get there?
So, am I to believe that Detroit is not a sanctuary city and MI is not a sanctuary state?...Come on, man!
“irregular immigration” Give me a break. This writer is an idiot
Flew from Doha, Qatar to MIA earlier this month. The flight was crammed full with Indians, Pakis and other South Asians and Middle Easterners with some Africans as well. All had brand new US passports and passport cards.
They were chaperoned by lefty-looking US ppl. Their chaperones gathered them together and handed out the passports and passport cards before boarding. Most of the passengers were polite but could not speak English. I sat next to two African women. Neither could speak English.
I estimated 300+ came in on this A350 flight. It’s a duplicate flight to another which flies that route under a different flight number. But same takeoff, route and landing times.
Something for DHS to crack down on. Fake citizenship receiving real passports and passport cards.
That’s one of the most outrageous things I’ve heard, makes it sound like Biden/ Mayorkas still in charge.
Since it has never been done before how could anyone know with certainty what would happen.
For instance, diverting flights to a different State's airports might very well negate any negative economic effects.
Sounds to me like some people want to protect their gilded golden goose.
The Duffy quote has got to be ripped out of context, this would not be restricting travel based on political views, it would be based on violating US law.
Push them out at 20,000 feet.
if the locals are interfering with federal employees trying to perform their duties to screen and process immigration or importation of cargo, the locals should be arrested.
and in the meantime, yes... shift the immigration and cargo reviews to locations where they can be carried out properly
Well go find what he said and post it. You have the who and where so find the what.
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