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DHS Secretary considers harsher scrutiny of sanctuary city airports
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin is questioning whether international airports in sanctuary cities should continue processing customs and border control.
SAN FRANCISCO - In his first interview as Department of Homeland Security secretary, Markwayne Mullin signaled a potential shift in federal policy that could significantly impact international travel in California and across the country.
Harsher scrutiny
What we know:
Mullin told Fox News' "Special Report" that he is considering harsher scrutiny of sanctuary cities, specifically questioning if their international airports should remain authorized to process travelers through customs and border control.
The secretary’s proposal targets cities like San Francisco that do not partner with federal immigration enforcement.
Mullin, who has previously stated he believes sanctuary city policies are unlawful, cited the ongoing partial government shutdown and a gap in DHS funding as reasons to prioritize federal resources.
What they're saying:
"If they're a sanctuary city, should they really be processing customs into their city?" Mullin said during a Special Report interview on Monday. "We're asking them to partner with us at the airport, but once they walk out of the airport they're not going to enforce immigration policy."
Mullin also warned that sanctuary cities more broadly may be at risk under his leadership of DHS, claiming they are unlawful.
"I'm going to have to be forced to make hard decisions," Mullin said. "I am not going outside the policies that Congress passed for me, and we're not trying to push those, but we're saying you've got to partner with us."
The stakes for such a move are high.
If federal customs officials were removed from airports like SFO, there would be no personnel to process arriving international passengers, effectively ending international flight service to those locations.
Newsom responds
The other side:
Governor Gavin Newsom responded to the secretary's comments on social media, drawing a comparison to previous economic volatility.
"If you thought the economy was bad with Trump’s war driving prices at the pump up… just wait until international travel is halted at some of the busiest airports in the world," Newsom wrote.
Sonoma State University political professor David McCuan said the 10th amendment does not allow the federal government to tell local governments what to do and dangle the withholding of funding if they don't do it.
He added that the governor's comments were "spot on," and that there will be a lot of lawsuits filed of Mullin goes through with it.
This latest development continues the administration’s long-standing legal and political battle with sanctuary jurisdictions. In April 2025, a San Francisco federal judge issued an injunction prohibiting the administration from retaliating against sanctuary cities by withholding federal funding.
Airports and immigration
Big picture view:
The secretary's comments come amid reports of increased cooperation between airport security and immigration officials. A recent Reuters article noted that Immigration and Customs Enforcement has made 800 arrests based on airport security tips, including a high-profile arrest of a Guatemalan mother at SFO just two weeks ago.
KTVU reached out to SFO officials for comment on the potential impact of Mullin’s proposal but has not yet received a response.