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White House Threatens to Strip Customs Processing at Major U.S. Airport Hubs

The Trump administration is considering withdrawing immigration and customs operations from airports in cities it views as uncooperative on federal enforcement priorities. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin made the proposal in a Fox News interview on Tuesday night. The proposal would affect major international gateways including New York, Newark, Boston, Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Seattle and Philadelphia. The administration is in the planning stages but has not yet implemented the policy. The threat comes two weeks before the FIFA World Cup begins, an event expected to draw millions of international visitors to host cities across North America. Industry groups representing airlines and hotels have warned the move would be devastating to travel and tourism. The Justice Department previously identified the targeted cities as jurisdictions it claims are impeding immigration enforcement. The dispute raises questions about whether the administration is leveraging the threat to pressure cities to adopt stricter immigration policies.