Key facts
- U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin testified before a Senate panel.
- Mullin had previously threatened to halt international travel into Newark airport.
- Mullin stated on Monday that he does not presently need to halt international flight processing at Newark.
- The decision follows cooperation from state and local law enforcement near the Delaney Hall Detention Facility.
- Republicans are pushing for $72 billion in additional funding for President Donald Trump's mass deportation effort.
U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin testified before a Senate panel on Tuesday amid tensions over conditions at the Delaney Hall Detention Facility in Newark and his prior threat to halt international travel into the airport. Mullin urged Democrats to approve funding for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and U.S. Border Patrol, stating that federal immigration officers have "been willing to do the job for free." Republicans are pushing for $72 billion in additional funding for President Donald Trump's mass deportation effort. Mullin had threatened to shut down international travel and cargo into Newark airport unless local law enforcement secured the area around Delaney Hall. Over the weekend, New Jersey State Police closed off an area where protesters had been gathering. Mullin stated on Monday that he did not presently need to halt international flight processing at Newark, citing cooperation from state and local law enforcement near the detention center. The World Cup, which begins on June 11, could potentially draw millions of foreign visitors to the U.S., with eight matches, including the final, scheduled near Newark.