Republican senators are signaling their support for proposed punishments for sanctuary cities refusing to cooperate with federal authorities.
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin has proposed yanking Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) agents out of airports in cities that won’t help Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) with enforcing federal law. Senator Lindsey Graham, R-South Carolina, is among those who believe this is a good way to encourage compliance.
“I think there should be consequences to cities and states that undercut federal law,” he said in a statement to Fox News Digital. “I think they should pay a price for what they do. I agree with what he’s doing.”
“I think it’s a choice that those cities make and they’d have to weigh the consequences of it. If they want to be a sanctuary city, they’ve made that choice and they’re getting a response now from Homeland Security,” said Sen. Deb Fischer, R-Nebraska.
“I have no idea what the cities would do,” she added when asked how cities might react to such rules being imposed. “I would hope that their law enforcement would cooperate with ICE. ICE is federal law enforcement. They’re doing their job. They’re following the law.”
But not everyone is on board; Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has stressed the need for open travel.
Many other Republicans, such as Josh Hawley and Lisa Murkowski, are withholding support until they are able to get more details on the secretary’s proposal.
Sanctuary Cities need to pay the price for protecting illegal alien criminals.
I stand with DHS Secretary Mullin in fighting back against radical left Democrats who are trying to stop ICE and Border Patrol from doing their job and enforce federal law.
Organized, paid…
— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) May 30, 2026
“Sanctuary Cities need to pay the price for protecting illegal alien criminals,” Graham posted on X in late May. “I stand with DHS Secretary Mullin in fighting back against radical left Democrats who are trying to stop ICE and Border Patrol from doing their job and enforce federal law. Organized, paid protesters in New Jersey, along with Antifa, tried to shut down an ICE facility that is holding rapists, murderers, child predators, and drug dealers – on Memorial Day. Enough is Enough. Sanctuary Cities are a magnet for illegal immigration and chaos. This is why I’m working closely with the White House to pass the End Sanctuary Cities Act to PUNISH so called sanctuary cities and states when they refuse to work with the federal government and turn over wanted illegal alien criminals.”
