Mullin Threatens Newark Airport CBP Pullout Over Protests at 300-Detainee ICE Center
Updated
Updated · abcnews.com · May 28
Mullin Threatens Newark Airport CBP Pullout Over Protests at 300-Detainee ICE Center
4 articles · Updated · abcnews.com · May 28
Markwayne Mullin said DHS could soon reassign Customs and Border Protection officers from Newark Liberty to Delaney Hall, warning international passenger and cargo processing would stall if protests keep straining federal staffing.
Seven days of demonstrations outside the New Jersey ICE detention center have led to clashes after protesters tried to block vehicles, with agents using pepper spray and batons.
The protests center on reports of poor living conditions and inadequate medical care for roughly 300 detainees; DHS denies the allegations, while Mullin also dismissed reports of a broader hunger strike.
U.S. Travel has warned that pulling CBP officers would damage international visitation and local economies, and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said air travel should not be disrupted over politics.
The standoff has drawn wider political scrutiny as Democratic lawmakers including Senator Cory Booker visited Delaney Hall and said detainees described dangerous medical neglect.
How does threatening travel hubs impact national security and the economy?
Could using airport security as leverage in policy disputes become a new government tactic?
Amid rising deaths in custody, what ensures humane conditions inside private detention centers?