Airlines, Hotels Sound the Alarm on Possible Trump Move

Airlines and hotels are sounding the alarm over a floated Trump administration move they say could wreak havoc on international travel to the US. Industry groups have condemned Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin's suggestion this week that the government could halt or scale back customs and immigration processing for international flights arriving at airports in so-called "sanctuary cities," CNBC reports. The idea, aired on Fox News' Hannity, surfaces just weeks before the FIFA World Cup is expected to funnel millions of visitors through major US hubs like New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago—many on the Justice Department's list of jurisdictions it says hinder federal immigration enforcement

"We're currently drawing up plans," Mullin said, per Reuters. "We shouldn't be processing international flights" into cities where "local radical left Democrats aren't allowing us to do our job and enforce federal laws," he said. Airlines for America, which represents carriers including American, United, and Delta, warned that cutting Customs and Border Protection staff at big airports would severely disrupt passenger and cargo operations.

The US Travel Association, whose members include Hilton and Marriott, said Mullin privately confirmed the option is under consideration. The group said the move would have "devastating consequences for the travel industry and communities that depend on international visitation." Reuters notes that more than 50 million international travelers arrived at the three major New York-area airports alone last year.