White House mulls pulling CBP officers from airports in sanctuary cities

The Department of Homeland Security is weighing a plan to pull Customs and Border Protection officers from international airports located in jurisdictions it designates sanctuary cities. The proposal targets major hubs such as New York's JFK, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Seattle, among others. The DOJ previously identified 35 sanctuary jurisdictions. DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin said plans are being drawn to stop processing international flights into sanctuary cities, arguing it would hinder enforcement of federal laws. Critics, including the U.S. Travel Association, warn the measure would damage travel and commerce. In 2025, the U.S. handled over 1.8 million international flights and 259 million international passengers.