Fact Check: Did DHS announce a ban on international flights to sanctuary cities?
WASHINGTON, DC: A viral claim circulating online in May 2026 alleged that the US Department of Homeland Security is planning to halt international flights to so-called “sanctuary cities.”
The term refers to jurisdictions where local authorities limit cooperation with federal immigration enforcement agencies such as Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
The US Department of Justice had previously identified several “sanctuary jurisdictions” in an October 2025 report, including major cities like New York, Los Angeles.
Claim: DHS secretary mulls plan to block all international flights to blue cities
Trump’s DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin just announced that they are “drawing up plans” to block all international flights into blue cities like New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago. pic.twitter.com/5VVwwg8IGc
— No Lie with Brian Tyler Cohen (@NoLieWithBTC) May 28, 2026
On May 28, 2026, an X user claimed that DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin had announced plans to block all international flights to “blue cities” such as New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago. The same claim also spread across Facebook, Instagram, Threads, Bluesky, and Reddit.
At the time of writing, Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin told Fox News that the department was not planning to halt international flights. However, he said officials were considering moving Customs and Border Protection officers away from airports to support ICE operations in cities where local law enforcement was not cooperating with federal authorities during protests.
Mullin also warned that this could lead to situations where there are not enough officers available to process arriving passengers at certain entry points. His comments drew criticism from the US Travel Association, a nonprofit representing the travel industry.
In earlier remarks on April 6, 2026, Mullin told Fox News that some sanctuary cities with international airports raise questions about whether federal customs operations should continue there, especially if local governments do not cooperate with federal immigration enforcement. He also suggested that staffing shortages and political disagreements could force difficult decisions about where to deploy federal personnel.
On May 27, Mullin told Fox News that plans were being drafted but not yet implemented. He said the idea was being considered because federal officers might need to be reassigned from airports to other duties, depending on local conditions and cooperation from city authorities.
On May 28, Mullin clarified on Fox News that the proposal did not mean all international flights would be stopped. Instead, he said the issue was about staffing constraints, if Customs and Border Protection officers were pulled away from airports to handle security concerns elsewhere, the government might not be able to process incoming flights at some locations.
Fact Check: Markwayne Mullin's plan remains unconfirmed
It is unclear how much support DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin’s plan has within the rest of the Trump administration.
On May 21, during a congressional hearing, US Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy said he was “not familiar” with the proposal but would like to ask Mullin about it. He also said that people should be able to travel freely across the country and around the world, and that air travel should not be restricted based on political differences between states or cities.
As of May 2026, the claim that the Department of Homeland Security was planning to halt international flights to so-called “sanctuary cities” remains unconfirmed. The DHS has not proposed stopping international flights to these cities. However, Secretary Mullin has repeatedly suggested in April and May that immigration processing could be reduced or suspended in cities where local authorities are not cooperating with federal immigration enforcement.
Mullin has clarified that the government would not directly stop flights. Instead, he said that if Customs and Border Protection officers are re-assigned away from airports, it could affect the government’s ability to process arriving passengers. A travel industry group has warned that such staffing changes could potentially disrupt or even lead to cancellations of international flights to some cities.
The Department of Homeland Security has not clearly explained how or when any such plan would be implemented. Because of these uncertainties, the claim remains unverified.
