Trump admin reiterates proposal to pull CBP staff from airports

The travel industry is growing increasingly concerned after U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin repeated a warning that U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers could be removed from airports in certain “sanctuary cities,” a step that could disrupt international air travel.

According to the U.S. Travel Association, Mullin confirmed during a meeting that the option is being considered while the group raised concerns about several Trump administration proposals that could negatively affect travel.

As reported by the Canadian Press, the idea drew swift criticism from U.S. Travel and major airlines, while U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy also questioned its logic.

In a statement released Friday, U.S. Travel said such a policy could severely damage the travel sector and the local economies that rely heavily on international visitors.

Details of the meeting were first reported by The Atlantic.

Earlier this week, Duffy told lawmakers during a Congressional hearing that he was not familiar with Mullin’s comments and wanted more context before making a judgment, saying he would likely ask Mullin to clarify his intent.

However, he stressed that restricting travel based on political differences would be misguided.

He said people from across the country and around the world need access to travel in all regions and argued that air service should not be disrupted simply because a state’s political views differ.

As a result, it remains uncertain how much support the proposal has within the administration, despite President Donald Trump previously threatening to cut federal funding to sanctuary cities.

While there is no formal definition of sanctuary cities or policies, the term generally refers to jurisdictions that limit cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Courts have also previously pushed back against attempts to withhold funding from such areas.

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