Passengers stand at the international arrival gate at JFK Airport in New York on June 16, 2025.
Charlie Tribalew | AFP | Getty Images
A group representing the nation’s largest airlines and hotel chains has denounced the Trump administration’s potential suspension of customs and immigration inspections at “sanctuary city” airports, warning that such a move could have “catastrophic” consequences for the industry.
Homeland Security Secretary Mark Wayne Mullin said in an interview Tuesday night on Fox News’ “Hannity” that if “the radical left of the Democratic Party” won’t allow the government to “enforce federal laws, then we shouldn’t be flying international flights to their cities.”
His comments come just ahead of next month’s FIFA World Cup, which is expected to draw millions of tourists to host cities in the United States, Canada and Mexico, and has sparked alarm from the travel industry.
Marin said the Trump administration is “developing a plan” but has not yet taken action. The timing of the idea’s emergence raises questions about whether the administration is trying to use its influence to persuade cities with which it disagrees with its immigration policies to be less tolerant of illegal immigrants.
Immigration disputes could disrupt international flights to the U.S. Last August, the Justice Department released a list of states and cities it says are interfering with U.S. immigration policies. Newark, New Jersey. Boston; Chicago; San Francisco; Los Angeles; Seattle; and Philadelphia.
“(Customs and Border Protection) staffing cuts at major airports will have a devastating impact on the airline and tourism industries and cause significant operational disruption to airlines, travelers, and international cargo flows,” Airlines for America said. american airlines, united airlines and delta airlines.
United States Travel Association. Members include airlines and major hotel chains. hilton and marriottMarin said a meeting with the group confirmed that the administration is considering withdrawing CPB officers. The group also said it would have a “devastating impact on the travel industry and local communities that rely on international visits”.
