Immigration Police Actions Could Be Reduced During World Cup According to an article published by The Athletic, FIFA officials have discussed the possibility of President Gianni Infantino requesting President Donald Trump to suspend ICE raids during the World Cup happening this summer in North America. It is unclear whether Infantino has officially made the request and what the response from Trump and the US administration would be.
Raids in Several US Cities During Trump’s second term, ICE conducted raids in multiple American cities to enforce the message of mass deportations that was central to his campaign before the 2024 elections. These raids led to clashes with protesters, including the killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti earlier this year in Minneapolis. Todd Lyons, interim director of ICE, previously stated that agents would be involved in security during the tournament, which is the largest FIFA World Cup with 48 teams.
Concerns Over ICE Presence Members of Congress have expressed concerns that ICE presence around the World Cup could result in immigration enforcement operations. Employees at the SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, where the US team will play two of its three group stage matches, threatened to strike last week for similar reasons.
FIFA’s Worries European FIFA members have also voiced concerns about the presence of ICE agents at the event. Initially, FIFA thought restricting ICE operations to the 11 host cities in the US would be enough. However, with teams spread across the country, including cities without matches, FIFA now seeks a total suspension of ICE operations for the duration of the World Cup from June 11 to July 19.
Trump-Infantino Relationship Trump and Infantino have established connections that could facilitate the acceptance of this request. FIFA has an office in the Trump Tower in New York, and the organization awarded the President the first FIFA Peace Prize in December during the World Cup draw.
