DHS secretary threatens to pull CBP agents from sanctuary city airports like O'Hare
Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin is considering a plan to remove all U.S. Customs and Border Patrol agents from airports in sanctuary cities like Chicago.
Mullin said he's considering the move because sanctuary cities with laws limiting local cooperation with federal immigration enforcement are pulling federal resources away, but his idea is facing resistance.
So far, it's just that a threat, but if federal agents aren't at international terminals like O'Hare Airport, then those flights would have to go elsewhere.
O'Hare still holds the title as the world's busiest when it comes to flight volume and aircraft movements, and international flights make up a good portion of the planes flying in and out of O'Hare every day, averaging more than 130 nonstop flights to and from different countries.
"Right now, O'Hare is a delicate balance. It's got so much congestion and so forth, but you throw in these federal wild cards, and it really could affect United and American's long-term expansion plans," said DePaul University professor and transportation expert Joseph Schwieterman.
Mullin told Fox News that Border Patrol agents at airports in sanctuary cities like Chicago, New York, and Los Angeles could leave the international terminals and help with immigration enforcement elsewhere.
"We have to prioritize where we put federal employees, because local law enforcement won't help protect their streets, not federal streets, city streets and keep them from barricading and causing harm to our employees. Then we have to decide where we're going to prioritize our federal employees. So, we're not going to halt the flights. What we're saying is we just won't be able to process them," he said.
Not processing passengers coming in on international flights arriving in sanctuary cities would essentially force the airlines – not to mention international passengers – to avoid those airports.
The FAA isn't on board with Mullin's idea.
"There'll be very limited opportunities to move international flights from one airport to another at this point," said FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford.
Neither is the Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy.
"We have people from around the world and around the country that need to be able to fly into all different kinds of places. We shouldn't shut down air travel in a state that doesn't agree with our politics," Duffy told lawmakers at a congressional hearing this week.
Schwieterman said Mullins' plan would lead to chaos.
"These are major hubs, and there's no place to put these large jumbo jets without causing massive disruption," he said.
Schwieterman noted, just because someone flies into a sanctuary city doesn't mean they're visiting that city. They're often just connecting to another destination.
Mullin has not provided a timeframe for how quickly he could move to pull Border Patrol agents from sanctuary city airports, but there's no doubt he would face a legal fight if he does move forward with such a plan.
