Governor Gavin Newsom (D-CA) has slammed President Donald Trump‘s new Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin for floating the idea to remove Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) officers from sanctuary airports across the U.S.
Markwayne Mullin’s ‘Stupid Idea’
On Monday, Newsom’s official Press Office handle delivered sharp criticism of Mullin in a post on X. “If you thought the economy was bad with Trump’s war driving prices at the pump up,” the post said, “just wait until international travel is halted at some of the busiest airports in the world,” the press office said in the post, slamming the Trump administration for Mullin’s comments. “Talk about a stupid idea,” it said.
Mullin, in an interview with Fox News on Monday, shared that the DHS wanted to work with cities that were willing to cooperate with the administration when asked if sanctuary cities could lose customs. “I’m gonna have to be forced to make hard decisions,” Mullin said, accusing the Democrats of wanting to defund the CBP.
A sanctuary city is a municipality that limits its cooperation with the federal/national governments to enforce the country’s immigration laws. Sanctuary cities in the U.S. include Los Angeles, New York City, Chicago, San Francisco and more.
Government Shutdown Enters Day 53
The partial government shutdown, which began on February 14, over disagreements between lawmakers about funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), is set to enter day 53. Recently, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) called on the Republicans to end the recess and bring the House back into session “so we can actually reopen the Department of Homeland Security.”
The shutdown also resulted in widespread chaos at airports as the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) workers worked without pay and many employees quit their jobs. While Trump, on the other hand, signed an executive order that directed the DHS to pay the TSA employees’ salaries.
The administration also deployed ICE agents across airports in the U.S. amid TSA’s staff shortage woes, but the move has faced sharp criticism from lawmakers. Trump’s approval rating, too, has hit fresh lows amid the partial government shutdown as well as the war with Iran.
Elizabeth Warren Criticizes Trump
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass) had earlier accused Republicans of blocking funding for TSA to force Congress to pass the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, which mandates voters to prove they are American citizens to register and vote during elections. It also mandates that voters need to present a government-issued photo ID to cast their ballot.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup
What could present another challenge for lawmakers amid the airport chaos is the 2026 FIFA World Cup scheduled to kick off in June this year and be hosted across multiple venues in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. The World Cup, arguably the biggest sporting event on the planet, takes place every four years and would see several hundred thousand people arrive in the U.S. to support their nations.
As people from several nationalities arrive in the U.S. amid the World Cup buzz, removing customs agents from major airports like LAX, JFK and more could result in international travelers not being able to enter the U.S. and cause widespread chaos.
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