The Trump administration may have walked back its threat against Newark Airport, but the broader idea is still very much alive. According to Forbes, Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said there is now “no need” to remove customs officers from Newark Airport after New Jersey increased state and local law enforcement support at the Delaney Hall ICE detention facility.
DHS confirmed to Forbes that the agency is still “drawing up plans” to remove customs screening from international airports serving Democratic-led sanctuary cities. In other words, Newark may be off the hook for now, but the larger threat remains.
What Changed At Newark?
Mullin’s original threat was tied to protests at Delaney Hall, an ICE detention facility in New Jersey operated by a private contractor. The idea was blunt: if local officials did not do more to protect the facility, DHS would pull Customs and Border Protection officers from Newark Airport and move them to the detention center.
New Jersey Governor Mike Sherrill called the plan “completely ridiculous,” especially with the FIFA World Cup approaching. She later ordered state police to the front line at Delaney Hall and enacted an overnight curfew. After that, Mullin said there would be “no need” to pull CBP officers from Newark as long as the partnership with state and local law enforcement continued.
But then came the catch. Mullin said he still has a “plan to initiate” similar action against other international airports in Democratic-led sanctuary cities.
This Is Bigger Than Newark
The Department of Justice has identified 18 sanctuary cities, including New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Boston, Denver, Philadelphia, Seattle and San Francisco. Many of those cities are served by some of the most important international airports in the country.
That is what makes this proposal so reckless. This is not a narrow dispute over one detention facility in New Jersey. It is a threat to use customs processing at major airports as leverage in an immigration fight. Doing this would effectively halt all international arrivals and would deal a body blow to major US carries, with United being the biggest casualty.
The U.S. Travel Association said pulling CBP officers from airports would create a “severe, self-inflicted economic wound.” It also warned that American citizens returning home, international visitors and major global events should not be used as leverage in immigration disputes.
The Travel Industry Is Right To Be Alarmed
IATA warned that suspending customs processing at Newark would raise concerns among international partners about whether the United States can reliably uphold its aviation obligations. Hotel and airline industry groups warned the move could cause unnecessary chaos across the national air transportation system.
Even Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy pushed back, saying the government should not shut down air travel in a state that disagrees with its politics. International aviation depends on predictability. Airlines plan routes months in advance. Travelers book trips assuming major airports will function normally. Cities prepare for events like the FIFA World Cup assuming visitors can actually enter the country without political drama at the airport.
The Pundit’s Mantra
The most telling number in the Forbes piece is $8 billion. That is how much international visitor spending the U.S. Travel Association estimates could be lost if CBP officers were removed from Newark Airport alone. Now imagine applying that logic to other major international gateways.
This is why the proposal is so dangerous. It may be framed as an immigration enforcement tool, but in practice it would punish travelers, airlines, hotels, cities and the broader economy. Mullin may have backed off Newark for now. But if DHS is still drawing up plans for other cities, then the travel industry is right to keep sounding the alarm.
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