Fresh plans from US Homeland Security Secretary, Markwayne Mullins, to remove customs officers from certain ‘sanctuary city’ airports are facing objections from the US travel industry.
In April, Mullins said Homeland Security was considering pulling its customs officers from certain ‘sanctuary city’ airports that have declined to cooperate with the Trump Administration’s immigration crackdown.
In an interview with Fox News this month, Mullins said they were currently drawing up plans to stop processing international flights in certain cities that, according to him, were not cooperating with federal immigration enforcement.
The proposal could impact airports in New York City, Newark, Philadelphia, Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, Seattle and San Francisco.
US Transport Secretary Sean Duffy questioned the plans during a Budget Hearing last week. “We have people from around the world and around the country that need to be able to fly into different kinds of places. We shouldn't shut down air travel in a state that doesn't agree with our politics,” said Duffy.
Airlines for America said removing customs staff would have a devastating effect on airline and tourism industries and cause operational disruption to carriers and travellers. Meanwhile, the US Travel Association believes the move would negatively impact communities that depend on international visitation.
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