Trump Admin Weighs Halting International Flight Processing at Sanctuary City Airports

The Trump administration is weighing a move that could ripple across U.S. airlines, hotels, and major airport hubs. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin says the administration is “drawing up plans” to halt the processing of international flights at airports in sanctuary cities.

What Mullin actually said

Mullin told Fox News’ “Hannity” on Tuesday night that if “radical left Democrats” aren’t allowing the government to “enforce federal laws ... we shouldn’t be processing international flights into their cities either.”

Mullin said the administration is “drawing up plans” but isn’t putting anything into place yet. His comments follow weekend protests at Delaney Hall in Newark, where Sen. Andy Kim was pepper sprayed during an interaction with immigration agents. The secretary, appearing on Fox News, complained about protests on city streets outside the facility.

Which airports are in the crosshairs

The Justice Department last August published a list of states and cities it said are impeding U.S. immigration policies, which include major international air hubs New York; Newark, New Jersey; Boston; Chicago; San Francisco; Los Angeles; Seattle; and Philadelphia.

That captures most of the country’s gateway airports for transatlantic and transpacific traffic, including JFK, EWR, LAX, ORD, SFO, and SEA. The timing is notable, coming just ahead of the FIFA World Cup next month that is expected to bring millions of visitors to host cities in the U.S., Canada and Mexico.

Do you want to see how to make more plays? Do you want to find gains yourself?

Unusual Whales helps you find market opportunities through our market tide, historical options flow, GEX, and much, much more.

Create a free account here to start conquering the market with Unusual Whales.

Industry pushback

Airlines for America, a trade association whose members include American Airlines, United Airlines and Delta Air Lines, said reducing CBP staffing at major airports would have a “devastating effect on the airline and tourism industries, causing a significant operational disruption to carriers, travelers and the flow of international cargo.”

The U.S. Travel Association, whose members include airlines and major hotel chains like Hilton and Marriott, said Mullin confirmed in a meeting with the group that the administration is considering withdrawing CBP officers.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy told a congressional hearing this week that he was not familiar with Mullin’s comments, but said restricting travel because of political disagreements would be a bad idea.

Why it matters for traders

International routes are among the most profitable for the big U.S. carriers, and the targeted airports represent core hubs for United (EWR, SFO, ORD), American (JFK, LAX, ORD, PHL), and Delta (JFK, LAX, BOS, SEA). Cargo flows through these airports also feed e-commerce and freight names.

Hotel operators with heavy urban exposure to these gateway cities could also see booking risk if the plan moves from “drawing up” to implementation, particularly into the World Cup window.

Options market and stocks to watch

Watch for headline-driven volatility across travel and leisure names if the administration formalizes the plan:

• UAL — United’s Newark and SFO hubs are directly on the DOJ sanctuary list; watch for flow into downside protection.
• DAL — Delta’s JFK, BOS, LAX, and SEA exposure puts it squarely in the path of any CBP pullback.
• AAL — American leans heavily on JFK, LAX, ORD, and PHL international gateways.
• HLT and MAR — Hilton and Marriott have urban exposure tied to inbound international travel; watch for booking-sensitive reactions.
• EXPE — Online travel platforms could see flow if international demand softens.

For more on this story and broader market headlines, see other news.

Want more market intelligence? Create your free Unusual Whales account for options flow, market tide, GEX, and the full toolkit.