DHS Secretary Mullin Floats Reviewing CBP Staffing at Sanctuary Cities' International Airports to Prioritize Cooperative Jurisdictions

Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, confirmed by the Senate in late March 2026 following a confirmation hearing on March 18, 2026, suggested on April 6, 2026, during an interview on Fox News' 'Special Report' with anchor Bret Baier that the Department of Homeland Security may need to scrutinize Customs and Border Protection (CBP) operations at international airports in sanctuary cities. Mullin stated, 'I believe sanctuary cities is not lawful,' adding, 'Some of these cities have international airports. If they are a sanctuary city, should they really be processing customs into their city? We need to have a really hard look at that.' He emphasized prioritizing resources for cooperative areas, saying, 'We need to focus on cities that want to work with us.'

Baier pressed Mullin on whether major hubs like those in New York City, Los Angeles or San Francisco could lose customs processing, to which Mullin replied, 'I'm going to be forced to make tough decisions.' Mullin linked the idea to ongoing congressional funding battles, noting, 'Democrats are wanting to defund Customs and Border Protection,' and 'who processes those individuals when they walk off the plane?' He clarified, 'I'm not going outside the policies that Congress has passed for me... you've got to partner with us.' The comments came amid a partial government funding lapse affecting DHS, with the fiscal year ending September 30, 2026.

On March 27, 2026, the Senate unanimously passed (100-0) a bill funding most DHS operations but excluding Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Border Patrol, according to C-SPAN records cited in coverage by The Hill. House Republicans rejected it, proposing full DHS funding instead. Mullin told Baier the strategy aims to avoid Democratic 'hostage' tactics via reconciliation, after discussing with President Donald Trump for over five hours post-confirmation.

Mullin's remarks build on prior Trump administration actions. Former DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, per The Hill reporting on April 7, 2026, identified approximately 500 cities, counties and states obstructing immigration enforcement. Former Attorney General Pam Bondi allegedly sent a warning letter in August 2025 to 32 sanctuary jurisdictions urging compliance, though no public DOJ record confirms this specific action as of April 7, 2026. President Trump issued an executive order in 2025 outlining crackdowns on non-compliant cities, facing legal challenges.

Sanctuary policies, which limit local cooperation with federal immigration detainers, have been upheld by federal courts against funding conditions. For instance, the Ninth Circuit in City and County of San Francisco v. Trump (2019) and subsequent 2018-2020 rulings blocked Trump-era grant withholdings, as noted by congressional reporter Jamie Dupree on X (formerly Twitter) on April 6, 2026. No court rulings specifically address CBP airport staffing reallocations, which fall under operational discretion per CBP statutes (8 U.S.C. § 1357), though critics argue it exceeds authority.

David J. Bier, director of immigration studies at the Cato Institute, posted on X on April 6, 2026, that Mullin lacks statutory authority and would be a 'complete corrupt partisan official.' Thomas Kennedy, policy analyst at the Florida Immigrant Coalition, called the idea 'absolutely nuts,' warning of economic nuking of metropolitan centers. No named supporters or DHS officials beyond Mullin have publicly endorsed the specific airport measure as of April 7, 2026.

Affected airports include John F. Kennedy International (New York City, a sanctuary jurisdiction per Noem's list), Los Angeles International (Los Angeles, sanctuary policy since 2024), and San Francisco International (San Francisco, sanctuary since 1989). These handle millions of international passengers annually; JFK processed 12.5 million in 2025 per Port Authority data. A recent incident at SFO on March 2026 involved ICE detaining an undocumented individual, with activists protesting and San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) forming a perimeter for safety, per ABC7 and NBC Bay Area reports—SFPD did not assist the arrest per sanctuary policy.

DHS has not issued a formal policy statement on airport operations as of April 7, 2026. Sanctuary city officials, including New York City Mayor Eric Adams' office and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, have not publicly responded to Mullin's comments per available records. Airport authorities like the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey declined immediate comment when contacted by Reuters on April 7, 2026. Legal experts dispute feasibility: while CBP can reallocate staff, permanent removal could trigger lawsuits under commerce clause arguments, similar to past injunctions.

The proposal ties into broader Trump immigration crackdowns, including mass deportation plans announced post-inauguration January 2025. CBP staffing nationwide faces strains from a 2026 hiring freeze amid funding disputes. Mullin, a former Oklahoma senator (R), was nominated December 2025 and confirmed March 28, 2026, per Senate records. No timeline for implementation has been provided.

Critics frame the idea as punitive retaliation, while Mullin presents it as efficiency amid resource limits. Federal law requires CBP inspections at ports of entry (8 U.S.C. § 1225), but staffing levels involve discretion. Past Trump efforts to withhold Justice Department and DHS grants from sanctuary cities were struck down by the Supreme Court in 2020 (Department of Justice v. San Francisco).

As of April 7, 2026, social media reactions vary, with progressive accounts amplifying outrage and conservative ones praising leverage. No economic impact analyses from named sources like the U.S. Travel Association are available yet. The White House referred queries to DHS, which reiterated Mullin's quotes without elaboration.