United Airlines planes parked at Newark Liberty International Airport in Newark, New Jersey on March 18, 2026.
Kenna Betancur AFP | getty images
Airlines, hotels and other industry groups are urging the White House and top Trump administration officials to drop a proposal that would cut immigration processing at major airports, including Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey. United Airlines Center.
United CEO Scott Kirby was set to discuss the proposal with Homeland Security Secretary Markway Mullin to explain to travelers the disruptions the policy could cause, according to two people familiar with the previously unreported call.
Airlines for America, a trade association whose members include American Airlines, United Airlines and Delta Air Lines, told White House officials this week that reducing Customs and Border Protection service at Newark Airport in New Jersey “would create havoc” for American citizens, who make up the majority of the 20,000 passengers who fly to the airport internationally, according to a document seen by CNBC.
The document also said that if a disruption occurred at Newark, a key connecting hub, “the disproportionate impact on American citizens would affect the heartland of the US far more than Newark.” It also warned against the proposal, which could include impacts on other cities, and said it could lead to cuts in air cargo shipments.
Mullin said on Fox News earlier this week that the Trump administration is “formulating plans” to potentially cut back on immigration and customs processing for international flights at U.S. airports in so-called “sanctuary cities,” which the government says have more lenient immigration policies.
Such a plan might be aimed at pressuring city leaders to crack down on undocumented immigrants by threatening to disrupt air travel.
The White House had no immediate comment.
Mullin said in an interview on Fox News’ “Hannity” Tuesday night that if “radical left Democrats” are not allowing the government to “enforce federal laws … then we shouldn’t even be processing international flights in their cities.” He said that the administration has not taken any final plan or decision on any such policy.
The Justice Department last August published a list of states and cities it said were obstructing US immigration policies, including major international air hubs New York, Newark, Boston, Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Seattle and Philadelphia.
The proposal is being brought two weeks before the US, Canada and Mexico are scheduled to host the FIFA Men’s World Cup, but it is unclear if the plan, if implemented, will happen before or during the tournament, which could derail travel for millions.