Overview
- DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin confirmed late May that the department is actively studying plans to stop Customs and Border Protection from processing international passengers and cargo at airports in jurisdictions the Justice Department has labeled 'sanctuary'.
- Removing CBP officers would, in practice, block the routine immigration and customs checks that allow international passengers to enter and goods to clear, a move that could halt international flights and shipments at affected terminals.
- The Justice Department's published list of 'sanctuary' places includes major airport hubs such as New York, Newark, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco, Boston, Denver, Philadelphia and Seattle, making the potential impact nationwide.
- Airlines, travel groups and the Transportation secretary have warned of severe operational and economic harm, and officials say the plan could prompt lawsuits and require complex legal and logistical decisions about federal staffing at airports.
- DHS officials point to recent protests blocking access to a detention center in Newark as part of their rationale while denying widespread detainee mistreatment; the department and migration officials have signaled they may seek court remedies if needed.