Federal officials said international flight processing at Newark Airport will continue as New Jersey authorities strengthen security measures around the Delaney Hall detention center.
U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said on Monday that there was currently no need to halt international flight processing at Newark Liberty International Airport, citing cooperation from New Jersey state and local law enforcement authorities.
According to Reuters, the remarks come days after New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill ordered state police to take control of the area surrounding the Delaney Hall immigration detention center in Newark, which had become the site of ongoing confrontations between protesters and federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents.
Sherrill described the move as intended to reduce escalating tensions and incidents of violence outside the Delaney Hall, the 1,000-bed detention facility operated by the private company Geo Group on behalf of ICE.
Dozens of protestors were arrested over the weekend after refusing to comply with a curfew imposed around the facility. According to The Associated Press, the curfew remains in effect from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. each day within a half-mile radius of the detention center until further notice.
Mullin acknowledged that federal officials had previously considered reassigning customs personnel from Newark Liberty International Airport to support security operations related to the unrest. However, he said such measures were not necessary at present due to the actions taken by state and local authorities.
“As long as we continue to have this partnership with local and state law enforcement, then there’ll be no need to do so,” Mullin said during a press conference in Dallas.
Last week, Mullin warned that the Trump administration could suspend the processing of international travelers and cargo at Newark Airport. Reuters reported that major airline, travel, and business organizations subsequently warned that any disruption to customs and border processing at Newark or other major U.S. airports could create significant travel delays, disrupt cargo operations, and affect thousands of passengers.
Mullin has also stated that similar measures to halt immigration processing could be considered at major airports located in “sanctuary cities”. According to the U.S. Travel Association, shutting down international flight processing at the 18 airports serving those cities could result in an economic impact exceeding $70 billion annually and affect approximately 68 million international passengers each year.