Homeland Security Secretary Mullin Threatens to Pull Customs Officers from Newark Airport

Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin has warned that Customs and Border Protection officers could be withdrawn from Newark Liberty International Airport as retaliation for protests at the nearby Delaney Hall detention center. The move, framed as a response to local authorities’ refusal to cooperate, would jeopardize an estimated $8 billion in annual international visitor spending and disrupt the airport’s handling of $30 billion worth of imported goods each year.

Travel and business groups, including the U.S. Travel Association and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, say removing customs staff would create chaos for travelers and cargo operations, threatening the broader air‑transportation system. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and the White House have not endorsed the proposal, with Duffy calling it ill‑advised. Mullin’s approach targets sanctuary‑city airports; 18 such airports, including Boston, New York and Los Angeles, handle about 68 million passengers and tens of billions in commercial activity. A shutdown at Newark alone could affect World Cup‑related travel to New Jersey and cause widespread disruption across the nation’s air network.