US travel group warns closing Newark airport to international travel could cost $8 billion annually

WASHINGTON - A group representing the U.S. travel industry said Friday that removing immigration officials from Newark airport would cause "immediate and lasting harm" and could cost the U.S. economy $8 billion annually in spending by tourists.

The U.S. Travel Association noted that U.S. customs officials at New Jersey's Newark airport near New York City process 5 million Americans returning home annually.

"Millions of international visitors will face the same disruption, and with the FIFA World Cup weeks away, the damage to America's reputation as a welcoming destination would be significant and lasting," the group said.

(Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)

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This story was originally published May 29, 2026 at 9:57 AM.