World Cup excitement among immigrant communities in the United States has been dampened in recent weeks by the specter of federal agents at games and fan festivals across the country.
Federal officials have said that no large-scale immigration enforcement actions are planned at World Cup events. “We’re not there to go round up mass individuals,” Markwayne Mullin, the Department of Homeland Security secretary, said in a recent TV interview.
But the Trump administration’s aggressive immigration crackdowns over the past year — including in some of the 11 U.S. host cities — have left people on edge anyway. Concerns intensified this week after reports of increased scrutiny for fans and participants at U.S. entry points, including a Somali soccer referee who was denied permission to enter.
“Everyone’s angst and fear around the World Cup is valid,” said Murad Awawdeh, leader of the New York Immigration Coalition. “These agencies cannot be trusted.”
In Los Angeles, a host city where President Trump sent 5,000 troops to quell immigration protests a year ago, the county sheriff, Robert Luna, called his counterpart at the local homeland security office about rumors of federal agents descending on World Cup games for immigration raids.
He said he was assured that wasn’t going to happen. “I have trust they’re giving me the appropriate information,” Mr. Luna said, “because if that starts occurring, we’re going to have a whole new host of problems.”
Mr. Luna’s department does not take part in federal immigration enforcement, but it was drawn into the crisis last year when those operations in the Los Angeles area prompted large protests, which were met with an aggressive response from federal agents.
Unlike in California, local police departments in Florida are not barred by law from working with ICE. But officials in Miami, also a host city, said they would not be targeting immigrants during the games, or at the gatherings around them.
“On game days, we have no operations specifically around the stadium or around fan fest,” said Major Ellery Collado, commander of the Florida Highway Patrol’s Miami station.
Assurances from local officials have done little to quell misgivings. The World Cup, by its nature, will arouse the passions of millions of immigrants and other noncitizens living in the United States, who will gather to watch the games in huge numbers. The tournament also draws countless visitors from abroad.
“International visitors who legally come to the United States for the World Cup have nothing to worry about,” said Lauren Bis, a homeland security spokeswoman, in response to questions about ICE enforcement around the games. “What makes someone a target for immigration enforcement is whether or not they are illegally in the U.S. — full stop.”
Mr. Mullin, in the CBS interview, said that ICE agents often helped secure major events, like the Super Bowl, and that the World Cup was no different. While his predecessor, Kristi Noem, had suggested that ICE would be “all over” the Super Bowl played in San Francisco in February, in reality federal agents did not make significant immigration-related arrests.
“When they’re at these sporting events, we’re not out there doing immigration enforcement,” Mr. Mullin said. Other government statements have said that ICE agents in host cities would be focused on security, human trafficking and counterfeit goods, which are more typical agency activities.
While not specifically targeting the World Cup, Tom Homan, the White House border czar, this week threatened a surge of ICE agents in New York after Gov. Kathy Hochul signed legislation canceling some law enforcement agreements with the agency.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani of New York City posted on social media that “soccer would not exist without immigrants,” and vowed that city officials “will not allow ICE or anyone else to sow fear in our communities — especially at this moment.”
Even the presence of ICE around World Cup venues and watch parties, regardless of their duties, could raise fears among Latinos, said Jenny Sanchez, a civil rights organizer in the Dallas area, where games will be played.
“The Latino community, we love soccer. We love watching it, we love playing it, we grew up with it,” said Ms. Sanchez, who works for the Texas Civil Rights Project, a legal advocacy group. “I think our community was really, really excited, and then, unfortunately, it just kind of took a turn.”
Groups like hers have been teaching residents about their rights, while a campaign called “No ICE in the Cup” is organizing watch parties to provide what it describes as a welcoming environment for immigrant families. A similar forum on the legal rights of immigrants will be held by a civilian oversight board in Los Angeles County this week.
“Nobody knows what’s going to happen,” said Jamon Hicks, an attorney who sits on the commission. “So it’s good to be cautious.”
Reporting was contributed by Chelsia Rose Marcius, Patricia Mazzei and Madeleine Ngo.
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