L'Trump administration It continues to manifest itself through inconsistencies that could weigh heavily on travel to the United States. After the possibility of requesting five years of email archives to enter the United States, here is a new figure from the "Trump Galaxy," the U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin, who in turn wishes to complicate the arrival of international travellers even further.
Last March, this new secretary replaced Kristi Noem, best known for her blunt statements on immigration policy. Markwayne Mullin, however, has a different obsession: severing the international ties of cities that protect immigrants. First raised in an interview last April on a TV channel, this suggestion has now resurfaced in public debate, according to the Reuters news agency.
What are the details? The Trump administration is considering suspending the processing of international travellers and freight at several major US airports located in "sanctuary cities," cities run by the Democratic Party. These cities are accused of refusing to fully cooperate with federal policy to combat illegal immigration.
Markwayne Mullin confirmed that plans were currently under consideration, whilst pointing out that no final decision had yet been taken. In an interview with Fox News on Tuesday 26 May, he said he had met with White House officials to assess various options.
New York, Chicago, Los Angeles without international flights?
" We are currently working on several scenarios, but nothing has been launched yet. ", explained Secretary of State Mullin. In his view, the federal authorities should not continue to handle international flights in cities which, in his words, " prevent the enforcement of federal laws ".
Such a measure would result in the withdrawal of immigration and customs agents at international points of entry. The Department of Justice has already published a list: featuring prominently on it are Boston, Denver, Philadelphia, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Newark, Seattle and San Francisco, all of which have major international airport hubs.
New York’s three major airports alone handled more than 50 million international passengers last year. Such a decision would have major consequences for international air travel to the United States, forcing airlines, as well as importers and exporters, to fall back on cities considered ‘non-criminal’. Such as, for example, Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, Miami, San Diego and Washington-Dulles.
Reuters reports that the US Travel Association, which represents airlines, hotel chains, car hire companies and tour operators, confirmed a meeting with Markwayne Mullin on this matter last week. The organisation stated that the administration was indeed considering withdrawing Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers from certain international airports located in ‘sanctuary cities’. It also warned of the potentially devastating consequences for the US tourism industry and local economies that depend on international visitors.
The Airlines for America lobby group, which represents several major passenger and cargo airlines, has warned that a reduction in customs staff would cause significant operational disruptions for airlines, travellers, and freight transport.
Such a decision – which is not yet a done deal – could have major consequences if it were adopted before the start of the FIFA World Cup. And it could further tarnish the image of the United States as a destination. At the end of last year, a survey by travel consultancy Skift indicated that 46% of travellers did not wish to visit the United States because of Donald Trump.
Number of international passengers at sanctuary cities (January to October 2025 - Bureau of Transportation Statistics)
| Airport | Sanctuary Town | International departures | International passengers arriving | Total international passengers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago (ORD) | Chicago | 6 012 935 | 6 104 712 | 12 117 647 |
| Los Angeles (LAX) | Los Angeles | 9 710 367 | 9 759 282 | 19 469 649 |
| New York (JFK) | New York | 14 129 488 | 14 494 568 | 28 624 056 |
| Denver (DEN) | Denver | 1 995 864 | 2 017 574 | 4 013 438 |
| San Francisco (SFO) | San Francisco | 6 303 578 | 6 440 397 | 12 743 975 |
| Newark (EWR) | Newark | 6 318 175 | 6 317 522 | 12 635 697 |
| Seattle (SEA) | Seattle | 2 821 925 | 2 882 732 | 5 704 657 |
| Boston (BOS) | Boston | 3 845 857 | 3 915 518 | 7 761 375 |
| Philadelphia (PHL) | Philadelphia | 1 725 854 | 1 796 318 | 3 522 172 |
| New York (LGA) | New York | 635 411 | 626 981 | 1 262 392 |
| GRAND TOTAL | 107 854 058 |
