Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin suggested Monday that the Trump administration could take action against international airports in sanctuary cities that refuse to cooperate with federal immigration authorities.
“Some of these cities have international airports — if they’re a sanctuary city, should they really be processing customs into their city?” Mullin told Fox News host Bret Baier, during an appearance on “Special Report.”
“Seriously, 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 because we need to focus on cities that want to work with us,” he continued.
Baier asked the DHS secretary if he was suggesting international airports in sanctuary cities “might lose their customs.”
“We’re gonna have to start prioritizing things at some point,” Mullin responded. “Right now, remember, the Democrats are wanting to defund Customs and Border Patrol.
“Well, who processes those individuals when they walk off the plane? And so I’m going to have to be forced to make hard decisions.”
US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents operate at more than 300 ports of entry, including international airports, throughout the country.
Removing CBP from sanctuary city airports would be in-line with the Trump administration’s policy of terminating federal funding for jurisdictions that prevent local law enforcement and jails from working with federal immigration enforcement agents.
Reducing the number of CBP agents at sanctuary city airports would likely create long lines for international travelers seeking to enter or re-enter the US.
Federal funding for DHS lapsed on Feb. 14, when Democratic lawmakers voted to shut down the department over concerns about CBP and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) policies.
ICE and CBP, however, remain funded through President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
DHS did not immediately respond to The Post’s request for comment.
During his appearance on “Special Report,” Mullin also revealed that nearly 3 million illegal immigrants have either self-deported or been deported since Trump took office.
“The last number that I’ve seen is we’ve deported between — either deported or self-deported … just shy of 3 million,” Mullin told Baier.
In January, DHS estimated that 2.2 million migrants had self-deported, whereas 675,000 were forcibly deported.
The Trump administration has offered $2,600 exit bonuses, free plane tickets and forgiveness of fines for illegal immigrants that choose to voluntarily leave the country.
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