Religious leaders in the town where England have their World Cup headquarters have voiced fears that notorious anti-immigration ICE squads will specifically target the area during the tournament. They expect Donald Trump’s agents to increase their presence while England stay at the Inn at Meadowbrook hotel in Johnson County, just outside Kansas City.
Community Rally Against ICE Presence
Johnson County churches and organisations have come together at a rally to express their concerns about what will happen during the World Cup, which starts next month. There are growing fears that ICE—the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency—will use the World Cup as an excuse to carry out raids.
Carolyne Muriu, a representative for Advocates for Immigrant Rights and Reconciliation, said: “It should be a moment of celebration, but it’s becoming a moment of fear for a lot of immigrants. So we have to make plans to protect ourselves. We have to take the lead to take care of ourselves because systems are not taking care of us.”
Rabbi Moti Rieber of Kansas Interfaith Action added: “It’s important to keep this issue in the public eye and for predominantly white houses of faith to rise up together and say ‘Immigrants are our neighbours.’ They are not strangers but integral parts of our communities and our lives, where we will witness and speak up for justice for them.”
England Squad and Local Hopes
Thomas Tuchel’s squad will arrive in Kansas in early June and remain there while they are still in the tournament. Local authorities hope to use the World Cup to promote the best side of their region, not marred by increased ICE activity. ICE has thousands of agents working across the country targeting undocumented immigrants, and their actions have caused fear in many communities, leading to several high-profile incidents. A total of 18 people have died while being held in ICE custody already this year.
In Johnson County, organisers were delighted by the numbers that turned up at the latest rally. Social justice advocates like Saaliha Khan said the mixture of people of different races, religions, and backgrounds at the vigil gives her hope for the future. She added: “We’re sending one strong message that love will overcome hate, and that our immigrant brothers and sisters should know that they are not in this alone, despite the fear mongering that’s happening. We are here to stand beside you, care for you, protect you, and work for justice, no matter what that looks like. It’s so powerful. It’s inspiring, it’s grounding, it’s heart-wrenching and heartwarming. You know, as a person of colour, as a Muslim, as a Kansan, as an American.”
Four nations will be making their World Cup debuts: Cape Verde, Curacao, Uzbekistan, and Jordan. The World Cup in the US, Canada, and Mexico starts on June 10th and ends with the final in New York City on Sunday, July 19th.
