Airline and Cargo Groups Warn DHS Against Cutting Customs Staff at Major U.S. Airports

Two leading aviation trade organizations have urged the Department of Homeland Security to back down from threats to reduce customs staffing at several U.S. airports, warning the move would cripple supply chains and cost billions in lost revenue.

In separate letters to Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, the International Air Transport Association and the Airforwarders Association argued that scaling back Customs and Border Protection officers at major gateways would cause immediate bottlenecks for high-value cargo. Brandon Fried, executive director of the Airforwarders Association, said manufacturers in aerospace, automotive, electronics, and consumer goods depend on air freight for time-sensitive components.

“When CBP staffing falls below the threshold needed to clear cargo in a timely fashion, those shipments queue. Assembly lines stop,” Fried wrote. He added that the damage to the reputation of U.S. ports of entry as reliable trade hubs would be lasting.

The DHS is reportedly considering halting or reducing CBP processing at airports in cities the Department of Justice has labeled “sanctuary cities” — jurisdictions with policies that limit cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. Mullin first proposed cutting services at Newark Liberty International Airport after protests at a nearby ICE detention center.

Douglas Lavin, IATA’s vice president for North America, warned that eliminating CBP at Newark would force airlines to reroute international flights to already overcrowded New York hubs like JFK and LaGuardia, both of which are operating at maximum capacity. “Airlines would face huge logistical and financial burdens,” Lavin said, including reshuffling aircraft and crews.

Other airports in Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, Seattle, and San Francisco could also be affected. Fried stressed that unlike passengers, freight cannot simply be rebooked or rerouted overnight. “Diverting volume to another airport requires months of coordination and capital investment,” he wrote.

The Airforwarders Association has repeatedly pushed back against federal flight cuts, including a 42-day government shutdown in late 2025 and an FAA plan to reduce flights at Chicago O’Hare this summer.