Newark Airport Customs Officers May Be Pulled, Sparking Travel Chaos Fears

A potential decision involving Newark airport customs officers has set off alarm across the airline industry and within parts of the federal government. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin is weighing whether to reassign some of those officers to help respond to protests at a nearby immigration detention facility, a move critics warn could throw international travel into disarray.

According to two administration officials, no final decision has been made. But the mere possibility has triggered serious concern, especially with major events on the horizon.

The Plan Under Consideration

The idea centers on Newark Liberty International Airport and a detention facility called Delaney Hall.

Mullin is reportedly considering pulling some Customs and Border Protection officers away from the airport so they can assist federal personnel managing protests at the detention center. The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the situation remains fluid.

Several factors will shape the outcome. One official noted that Mullin’s decision could hinge on whether the protests intensify over the weekend. It may also depend on whether border czar Tom Homan, expected to travel to New Jersey to meet with state and local officials, can ease tensions on the ground.

Ultimately, President Donald Trump would have the final say if Mullin chose to follow through on the idea.

Delaney Hall Becomes a Flashpoint

The detention facility has emerged as the latest battleground in the ongoing clash over immigration enforcement.

Delaney Hall has become a focal point in the broader conflict between the Trump administration on one side and Democratic lawmakers and protesters on the other. The dispute revolves around the president’s aggressive immigration agenda.

For Mullin, who stepped into the role of DHS secretary after a period of turmoil and political fallout in Minneapolis, the situation represents an early and high-profile test. How he handles the friction between federal officers and demonstrators here could set the tone for similar conflicts in cities across the country.

A Governor Steps In

New Jersey’s Democratic Governor Mikie Sherrill announced a plan on Friday aimed at calming the situation.

Sherrill said she intends to establish protected protest zones around the Delaney Hall facility in an effort to lower tensions. Mullin praised the move, calling it a win for law and order.

However, Sherrill did not hold back when it came to the idea of stripping customs staff from Newark. She dismissed the proposal as completely unreasonable, pointing specifically to the upcoming FIFA World Cup, which is set to begin matches in the United States in just two weeks.

Mullin’s Public Comments

Mullin had already floated the concept publicly earlier in the week.

In an interview, he acknowledged that reassigning officers could disrupt air travel. He explained that pulling Customs and Border Protection officers away from processing international flights, and redirecting them to assist ICE agents, would inevitably affect flights coming in and out of the airport.

That candid admission only heightened anxiety among airlines and travel groups already bracing for potential disruption.

Why the Industry Is Worried

The proposal has met resistance not only externally but also within the administration itself.

Officials raised fears that withdrawing customs staff could create chaos for travelers, particularly ahead of major events like the World Cup, while simultaneously escalating an already tense situation in New Jersey. Without enough customs officers, an airport could face a cascade of problems, including:

• A wave of flight cancellations
• Airlines redirecting passengers to other cities
• Disruptions to cargo and supply chains

One administration official bluntly described the prospect of rerouting passengers and cargo to another international airport as an absolute disaster.

Two Very Different Roles

A key point often lost in the debate is that not all CBP officers do the same job.

Officers assigned to process arriving travelers at airports are separate from those who carry out immigration enforcement operations. Temporarily shifting customs officers into enforcement duties at an unfamiliar facility could place added strain on the staff who normally handle clearing incoming passengers.

This distinction matters because the reassignment would not simply move personnel around. It could leave a critical gap in airport operations.

Airlines in Uncharted Territory

For carriers, the uncertainty itself is part of the problem.

An airline official described the potential move as uncharted territory, noting that the situation is still in the fact-finding stage. The official said it is difficult to build contingency plans when there is no clear sense of what to prepare for.

The carrier is reportedly in daily contact with DHS and the Department of Transportation, working to convey how damaging a customs withdrawal could be at a moment when the country is preparing to welcome millions of international visitors.

Warnings of Lasting Harm

Travel and industry groups have been vocal in their opposition.

The U.S. Travel Association warned that such a move could cause immediate and lasting harm to both travelers and the economy, while also damaging America’s reputation as a welcoming destination.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has previously echoed similar concerns. Responding to earlier reporting on Mullin’s idea to limit flights to so-called sanctuary jurisdictions, Duffy argued that people from around the world and across the country need to be able to fly to all kinds of destinations. He stressed that air travel should not be shut down in a state simply because it disagrees politically.

Newark Can’t Easily Be Replaced

A major complication is that Newark’s role in the air travel network cannot simply be shifted elsewhere.

Federal Aviation Administration chief Bryan Bedford explained that rerouting international flights is not something that can happen on a whim. He noted there would be very limited opportunities to move international flights from one airport to another at this stage.

Newark serves as a major hub for both passengers and cargo. Other airports in the Northeast are either at capacity or operate under tightly managed takeoff and landing slots controlled by the FAA. That makes it nearly impossible to absorb extra international flights without causing broader delays. On top of that, other airports cannot offer the same connecting flight access that Newark provides.

The Numbers Behind Newark

Industry data underscores just how much is at stake.

The trade group Airlines for America has shared figures with the administration highlighting Newark’s importance. According to those statistics, the airport accounts for nearly $100 million a day in imports. It also handles more than 20,000 international passengers landing daily, of whom roughly 14,000 are U.S. citizens.

Bedford added that a withdrawal of CBP staff would create significant logistical headaches, since both U.S. and foreign travelers must clear customs regardless. Sorting out where customs check-in points would and would not exist, he said, would pose a real challenge for airlines.

A United Front Against the Move

The opposition has been broad and coordinated.

Seventeen groups representing travel, hotel, and airline interests, including Airlines for America, U.S. Travel, and the Cargo Airline Association, urged DHS to avoid any actions that would carry serious operational and economic consequences. They warned that international aviation networks are deeply interconnected, meaning changes at even a small number of gateway airports could quickly ripple across the country, hurting travelers, cargo shipments, supply chains, and the communities that rely on them.

The Bottom Line

For now, the fate of Newark’s customs officers remains undecided, resting heavily on how the protests unfold and whether tensions can be eased on the ground. The final call would ultimately come down to President Trump.

What is clear is the depth of concern surrounding the idea. With the World Cup approaching and millions of visitors expected, airlines, travel groups, and even some federal officials are warning that pulling customs staff from Newark could spark widespread chaos. As the situation develops, all eyes remain on Delaney Hall and the decision that could reshape international travel through one of the nation’s busiest airports.