❓WHAT HAPPENED: The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has threatened a shutdown of international flights in cities that shield illegal immigrants under sanctuary policies.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin, U.S. Customs officers, and leadership in cities such as Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York.
📍WHEN & WHERE: Mullin revealed the proposal late Monday, April 6, 2026.
💬KEY QUOTE: “So, we’re going to take a hard look at this. One area we may take a hard look at is some of these cities that have international airports. If they’re a sanctuary city, should they really be processing customs into their city?” – Markwayne Mullin
🎯IMPACT: If enacted, the plan could force cities to choose between retaining international flights or maintaining their sanctuary policies.
The Trump administration is considering shutting down international flights in cities where local Democrats shield illegal immigrants from federal immigration enforcement actions through open-border sanctuary policies. Newly confirmed Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Markwayne Mullin revealed late Monday that the administration is considering the move in response to the ongoing partial government shutdown of DHS, which is impacting funding for the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and customs agents, among other agencies.
“I believe sanctuary cities are not lawful,” Mullin said during a television interview. “So, we’re going to take a hard look at this. One area we may take a hard look at is some of these cities that have international airports. If they’re a sanctuary city, should they really be processing customs into their city?”
Mullin continued, “If they’re a ‘sanctuary city’ and they’re receiving international flights—and we’re asking them to partner with us at the airport, but once they walk out of the airport, they’re not going to enforce immigration policy—maybe we need to have a really hard look at that.”
The new Homeland Security Secretary stressed that his department needs to prioritize jurisdictions willing to work with federal immigration enforcement officials. “I’m not going outside the policies that Congress passed for me, but we’re saying that you’ve got to partner with us,” Mullin said.
Withholding customs officers from Democrat-controlled sanctuary cities with international airports could pose a serious economic threat to those jurisdictions—especially those heavily reliant on tourism to sustain local businesses. Among the major cities that could be impacted are Los Angeles, Minneapolis, San Francisco, Boston, Chicago, and New York.
.@SecMullinDHS: “Some of these cities have international airports… If they’re a ‘sanctuary city’ and they’re receiving international flights — and we’re asking them to partner with us at the airport, but once they walk out of the airport, they’re not going to enforce… pic.twitter.com/RCT52ALwQz
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) April 6, 2026
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