Millions of international soccer fans traveling to the United States to attend the FIFA World Cup this summer could face major problems getting into the country in over half of the host cities.
Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin confirmed on Tuesday that his agency was moving forward with plans to shut down customs operations at airports in sanctuary cities, or places that do not allow federal law enforcement from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to take custody of illegal immigrants in county jails and state prisons.
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“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 either because they don’t want us to enforce immigration,'” Mullin told Fox News host Sean Hannity. “They’re barricading our employees from coming in and out of the facility, then why are we processing international flights into the airport there?”
The 11 cities slated to host the games are Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, New York/New Jersey, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Seattle.
All but Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, and Kansas City are considered sanctuary cities, meaning DHS could pull customs officers from airports in all other cities and regions, preventing tourists from flying directly into those locations from abroad.
A Washington Examiner review of recently published aviation analytics revealed that of the seven host cities that are sanctuary cities, three contain four of the nation’s 10 busiest airports for international travel.
New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport, Los Angeles International Airport, Newark Liberty International Airport, and San Francisco International Airport each reported 31,000 to 72,000 international takeoffs between April and December last year, according to Cirium Diio, the leading global source for aviation analytics.
The New York and New Jersey airports are located in two sanctuary jurisdictions, meaning Customs and Border Protection could shutter customs at both airports in the region.
JFK was ranked the busiest international airport in the country, with 42% of flights being international trips.
Mullin was sworn in as DHS secretary in March and replaced Kristi Noem, the former governor of South Dakota. Shortly after taking office, Mullin divulged that he was looking into cutting back customs screening for incoming foreign travelers.
“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,” Mullin told Fox News in April.
Mullin said that he was looking at LAX and JFK, among others.
CBP is responsible for inspecting all people, vehicles, and goods that seek admission to the country.
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Customs officers are assigned to seaports and land ports of entry along the Canadian and Mexican borders, as well as international airports nationwide. All travelers are screened upon landing, including U.S. citizens.
Rep. Rob Menendez (D-NJ) called Mullin’s customs ploy “one of the dumbest things I’ve ever heard” in an interview with CNN on Wednesday.
