On 11JUN26, the World Cup kicks off in Mexico, the U.S., and Canada. Thousands of international spectators are expected to show up, most of them coming to the U.S., where most games will be played. They all will have to pass through immigration after landing, for instance at Newark Liberty Airport. But instead of upping personnel, Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin plans to redeploy customs and immigration officers to assist federal officials in stamping out the ongoing protests against a nearby immigration detention facility. Airlines, tourism associations, and business lobbies have now issued strong warnings against this withdrawal of service personnel, affecting passenger and cargo flows severely.
Markwayne Mullin’s intended move would create havoc, warns a joint statement published by the organizations last week. A shortage of customs officers at an airport could lead to a wave of flight cancellations. Airlines might also start advising passengers to fly to other cities. But whether this is a wise recommendation remains to be seen.
Punishing sanctuary cities
After all, the measures suggested for Newark could be extended to other U.S. gateways, even though there are no protests there that would require pulling off airport staff to assist detainers of the federal law enforcement agency ICE. It seems that Mullen wants to make an example of Newark as a first step toward further, more significant actions against so-called sanctuary cities. These cities, counties, and entire states have laws, ordinances, regulations, resolutions, policies, or other practices that obstruct immigration enforcement and shield them from ICE – either by refusing to or prohibiting local agencies from complying with ICE detainers. Meanwhile there are 13 States and hundreds of counties and cities that refuse to cooperate with ICE. This said, Mullen plans to set an example in Newark and thereby intimidate opponents of the ICE to make them submissive.
FIFA remains silent
In addition to Newark, Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin is also considering drastic measures against other sanctuary cities that oppose ICE’s deportation policies. These include the FIFA host cities of Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Boston, and Philadelphia. And the final is scheduled to be held in New York, which in turn brings Newark Liberty Airport into play.
If these and other cities were to be cut off from air travel even for a short period of time, 68 million passengers would be affected and the economy would suffer losses of more than $70 billion, warns the U.S. Travel Association. Critics argue that just before the start of the World Cup, the damage to America’s reputation as a hospitable travel destination would be enormous. The entire catering for the participating soccer teams, the air transport of their equipment, and the import of goods such as medicines and semiconductor chips worth billions of dollars could be jeopardized.
It’s tantamount to sabotage
Mullin is using air travel as a lever for his plans. If Customs and Immigration are severely understaffed, chaos looms. In addition, the airlines’ tightly scheduled flight plans would be thrown into complete disarray. “The entire plan borders on sabotage,” stated an administration official who wished to remain anonymous!
For FIFA, the international soccer federation, the politically driven crisis in U.S. air travel comes at an inopportune time. Just last December, FIFA President Gianni Infantino presented U.S. President Trump with a soccer peace prize, effectively as a substitute for the Nobel Peace Prize. And now, chaos in U.S. airspace threatens the participating teams and their supporters.
Mullin – a brown-noser?
But perhaps the whole issue isn’t as hot as Mullin made it out to be. “His push is seen internally as more of a personal desire,” a source stated. Mullin has been bringing up the proposal “unprompted during meetings at the White House.”
Insiders at the Department of Homeland Security have revealed that Markwayne Mullin has been whispering in Trump’s ear that he intends to punish sanctuary cities and opponents of the president. In plain words, following the downfall of his predecessor Kristi Noem, the Department of Homeland Security is now led by another opportunist and wimp.
