More than 120 immigrant rights groups have issued a travel warning to the 10 million visitors expected for the Fifa World Cup in the US, citing 'serious rights violations' under the current political climate. The warning, released ahead of the tournament starting on 11 June, highlights risks including 'arbitrary denial of entry and risk of arrest, detention and/or deportation'. Activists in all 11 host cities are mobilising to protect fans and residents from potential immigration enforcement activities.
In Los Angeles, a labour union representing over 2,000 hospitality workers at SoFi Stadium is threatening to strike if immigration agents do not stay away from the venue, which is expected to draw about 70,000 fans per match. In Dallas, the civil rights group El Movimiento DFW is distributing whistle kits with information on how to obtain free consultations with immigration attorneys at churches, businesses and apartment complexes, in case US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents begin detaining people near matches.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has stated it is working with federal, state, local and international partners to ensure a safe environment. However, activists say they have received conflicting reports about ICE's role at the World Cup, with Trump administration officials not ruling out arrests near games despite assurances from Secretary of State Marco Rubio that ICE would not operate inside stadiums. At least 18 people have died in ICE custody this year amid the administration's immigration crackdown.
Organisers are bolstering rapid response networks and legal aid resources. Police in Atlanta, Seattle and Los Angeles have announced they will not cooperate with ICE in enforcement matters after sustained pressure. Several Democratic lawmakers have introduced bills prohibiting ICE activity near matches, but they are stalled in the GOP-controlled House. In Miami, which leads the country in immigration arrests, advocates are tapping into a rapid response network and a hotline operated by the Florida Rapid Response Alliance for Immigrant Safety and Empowerment.
'We want fans to know the risks and be prepared for encounters,' said Christine Bolaños, communications director at Workers Defense Action Fund. Jennifer Li of the national coalition Dignity 26 warned that the increased security apparatus poses a risk of local residents being caught in law enforcement dragnets. Li is connecting immigration attorneys with rapid response groups and coordinating the launch of a fan embassy and resource portal with workers' rights information and immigration hotlines.
