Mullin threatens to block flights into sanctuary cities after Democrats interfere with ICE

Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin has sent liberals and travel industry proponents into a tailspin after revealing a strategy that may prevent illegal immigrants from ever entering U.S. sanctuary jurisdictions in the first place.

During an appearance with Sean Hannity on Fox News Tuesday night, Mullin stated that he and others are "currently drawing up plans" to halt international passenger and cargo processing at airports near sanctuary cities since Democrats have attempted to interfere with DHS officers at immigration detention facilities, most recently in Newark, New Jersey.

'They don't want us to enforce immigration, but they want us to process immigration at their facilities?'

"Local, radical left Democrats aren't allowing us to do our job and enforce federal laws," Mullin claimed, so "we shouldn't be processing international flights into their cities."

"They don't want us to enforce immigration, but they want us to process immigration at their facilities?" he continued. "Nothing about that makes sense to me."

Mullin did not elaborate on which cities or airports he had in mind, though last year the Justice Department issued a list of "sanctuary jurisdictions" that includes states like California and Connecticut; counties like Cook County, Illinois; and cities such as Boston, Denver, and San Francisco.

RELATED: 'If they want to come, they're coming': Democrats whine in viral video that sanctuary city policies won't stop ICE

Companies and organizations associated with the travel industry have strongly opposed cutting off immigration processing at major U.S. airports.

According to DW, the U.S. Travel Association and several major airlines issued a joint statement on Friday, predicting that "such a move would have devastating consequences for the travel industry and communities that depend on international visitation."

Airlines for America, another trade organization, insisted that reducing the presence of Customs and Border Protection at airports would cause "significant operational disruption to carriers, travelers, and the flow of international cargo."

However, even other members of Trump's Cabinet have responded to Mullin's idea with ambivalence. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy admitted during a congressional hearing Thursday that he has misgivings about restricting air travel based on "politics."

"We have people from around the world and around the country that need to be able to fly into all different kinds of places," Duffy told Rep. Adriano Espaillat (D-N.Y.). "We shouldn't shut down air travel in a state that doesn't agree with our politics."

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