Homeland Security ‘Drawing Up Plans’ to Suspend International Flights Into Sanctuary Cities Until They Stop Protecting Illegal Aliens

The Trump administration is considering plans to suspend immigration and customs processing at airports in Democrat-run sanctuary cities.

Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said the administration is drawing up plans to halt processing at airports in Democratic-run jurisdictions that refuse to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement.

Mullin confirmed the plans in an interview on Fox News host Sean Hannity.

“We’re currently drawing up plans to say listen, in these sanctuary cities, where the local, radical left Democrats aren’t allowing us to do our job and enforce federal laws, then we shouldn’t be processing international flights into their cities either,” he explained.

“Because they don’t want us to enforce immigration, but they want us to process immigration at their facilities? Nothing about that makes sense to me.”

Markwayne Mullin: “We are currently drawing up plans to say, listen, in these sanctuary cities where the local radical left Democrats aren’t allowing us to do our job and enforce federal laws, then we shouldn’t be processing international flights into their cities.” pic.twitter.com/ayx6lD0dtf

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) May 27, 2026

The proposal would impact some of the country’s busiest international gateways, including airports in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco, Seattle, Boston, Denver, Philadelphia, and Newark.

7 out of the 10 safest cities cooperate with @ICEgov

Sanctuary politicians are more interested in protecting criminals than they are protecting Americans. They choose to RELEASE rapists, child molesters, murderers, and drug dealers back on our streets.

We will not allow this… pic.twitter.com/ovlM9uMpPW

— Secretary Markwayne Mullin (@SecMullinDHS) May 19, 2026

Millions of international visitors are expected to arrive in the United States in June for the FIFA World Cup, with matches taking place across the country.

Sanctuary cities deliberately limit cooperation with federal immigration authorities, particularly Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to protect their illegal alien populations.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) previously identified multiple states and cities that it said obstruct federal immigration enforcement.

The proposal would reportedly halt not only international passenger arrivals but also cargo processing at affected airports.

Mullin has previously floated a similar idea of pulling Customs and Border Protection (CBP) operations from major international airports.

DHS Secretary Mullin Threatens to Remove CBP Operation from Sanctuary City International Airports Until They Stop Harboring Illegals and Comply with Federal Law

However, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has expressed his opposition to the idea.

“We have people from around the world and around the country that need to be able to fly into all different kinds of places,” Duffy said.

”We shouldn’t shut down air travel in a state that doesn’t agree with our politics,” he continued.

While plans have been drawn up, a final decision on the proposal has not been made.