World Cup Hype Damped by US Immigration Fears Among Minorities

The upcoming 2026 World Cup, partly hosted by the United States, is stirring mixed emotions within various immigrant communities. While the global football spectacle promises excitement, fear of increased Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity casts a shadow, particularly for those with uncertain immigration statuses.

Emile, a Haitian truck driver in his 40s residing in Ohio, exemplifies this dilemma. Despite Haiti's first World Cup appearance since 1974 being a source of immense national pride, Emile, who withheld his last name, expressed his reluctance to attend a match. "Singing my country's national anthem in a stadium in front of the whole world is a historic moment that no one would want to miss," he told AFP. However, he admitted to "thinking twice" due to concerns about being arrested by ICE at the airport, acting on advice from his lawyer.

This sentiment is widely shared across immigrant populations, who have witnessed increasingly aggressive tactics by ICE officers in various US cities. Public outrage peaked following an incident in Minneapolis where ICE officers reportedly shot and killed two American demonstrators.

Monica Sarmiento, from the Virginia Coalition for Immigrant Rights, highlighted the pervasive fear. "Now, people are making sure that they are aware to what they are doing and they don't feel safe," she stated, observing that "very aggressive tactics" have targeted not only undocumented individuals but also those with protected status. Sarmiento revealed that a significant 70% of those arrested, detained, and deported by ICE have no criminal record, with many having resided and paid taxes in the US for decades. She condemned the creation of "a fearful and hostile environment across the country, and not only for the World Cup but every single day."

The United States is scheduled to host 78 of the 104 World Cup matches between June 11 and July 19, co-hosting the tournament with Canada and Mexico. The prospect of intensified ICE operations around these events has specifically alarmed the US Hispanic community, which constitutes 20% of the US population and is concentrated in states like California, Texas, and Florida, as well as major metropolitan areas such as Miami, Los Angeles, Dallas, and New York.

The Haitian community, numbering approximately 850,000 in 2024 and largely concentrated in Miami and New York, also faces significant threats. The Trump administration's efforts to terminate the temporary protected status (TPS) from which individuals like Emile benefit, could lead to their deportation back to Haiti, a nation plagued by political instability, economic crisis, and gang violence.

Concerns Over Serious Rights Violations

These fears are exacerbated by documented cases, including a report by Human Rights Watch detailing the arrest and deportation of an asylum seeker by ICE after he attended the Club World Cup final in New Jersey with his children the previous year. Human rights organizations are also worried that foreign tourists attending matches or gathering in fan zones could become targets for ICE.

In April, more than 120 US civil rights organizations, including the influential American Civil Liberties Union, issued a "travel advisory." This advisory warned of "the risk of serious rights violations" for fans, players, journalists, and other visitors to the United States. The signatories cautioned against potential denial of entry, arrest, detention, deportation, racial profiling, and even "cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment -- and even death -- while in ICE detention or custody."

Historically, ICE, as part of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), has played a role in security arrangements for major sporting events like the Super Bowl. A DHS spokesperson, responding to queries, stated that "international visitors who legally come to the United States for the World Cup have nothing to worry about," clarifying that "what makes someone a target for immigration enforcement is whether or not they are illegally in the US."

FIFA, world football's governing body, affirmed its commitment to human rights in a statement, noting it "is committed to respecting all internationally recognized human rights and strives to promote the protection of these rights."