The United States Government is considering blocking the entry of international travelers at the airports of cities that do not collaborate with tough immigration policies, called “sanctuary.”
Speaking to reporters during a visit to North Carolina on Tuesday, Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said that, for his administration, “it makes no sense to process international travelers” if cities are not “enforcing immigration law.”
“I don’t think sanctuary cities are legal,” added the official, who took office last March, after the departure of his predecessor Kristi Noem.
The Donald Trump Administration has sought to pressure those that limit collaboration with federal immigration agencies.
In August of last year, the Department of Justice published a list of the cities it considers “sanctuary”, which includes large metropolitan centers such as New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco.
Several of these jurisdictions on the list were subject to a deployment of federal immigration agents last year, leading to clashes with civilians and allegations of human rights abuses by organizations such as the ACLU and Amnesty International.
The decision to prohibit the entry of international travelers into these cities, where some of the busiest airports in the country are located, such as JFK in New York or Los Angeles International Airport, would have important consequences for US tourism and commerce.
The FIFA World Cup is also scheduled to take place from June 11 to July 19 in North America, and 11 US cities will host the games, including Los Angeles, Miami, and New York.
