Travel Groups Unite against DHS Talk of CBP Removals

Nearly 20 organizations, including NBAA and NATA, are urging the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to retain Customs and Border Protection (CBP) operations at international gateway airports, warning that removing them would have nationwide consequences.

Signed on by groups ranging from Airports Council International—North America and Airlines for America to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and National Retail Federation, the statement comes in the wake of threats from Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin to remove CBP from airports located in cities that honor “sanctuary” policies.

When asked about the idea during a recent House hearing, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said he had not seen the proposal, but in general, “We should not shut down air travel in states that don’t agree with our politics.”

The proposal has generated widespread opposition from the travel industry, and the groups collectively said in their statement, “Any reduction in Customs and Border Protection operations at major U.S. gateway airports threatens to cause unnecessary chaos throughout the nation’s air transportation system.”

The statement further notes that international aviation networks are highly interconnected, and such a change would have a ripple effect throughout the country. “Airports and airlines rely on stable, predictable federal inspection services to keep people and commerce moving safely and efficiently,” the organizations said. “We urge DHS to avoid actions that would create unnecessary operational and economic consequences for communities nationwide.”