Before the current World Cup kicked off, Democrats expressed concerns that immigration enforcement agents might overstep their bounds with fans and players, potentially leading to international incidents. However, those concerns have not materialized.
As the tournament heads into its final week, the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) division of the Department of Homeland Security has refrained from engaging in crowd control. Instead, it has concentrated on collaborating with law enforcement to address counterfeiting and human trafficking, as many foreign fans have come to the United States, Mexico, and Canada to support their teams.
Democrats are acknowledging ICE’s restraint at the matches.
“I have not seen, or have not heard of, any significant, serious report, which is really very good. I am happy to hear that,” commented Rep. Nellie Pou, a Democrat from New Jersey whose district includes Metlife Stadium, the venue for the tournament’s final match.
Pou, who had previously voiced concerns about ICE’s presence during hearings, credited the agency’s low-profile approach to congressional oversight and a change in leadership from Secretary Kristi Noem to Secretary Markwayne Mullin.
Under Mullin, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has taken a more measured approach than under Noem, repairing some strained relations with Congress. DHS has also contributed to the World Cup by deploying Customs and Border Protection, the Federal Protective Service, and the Coast Guard to manage unmanned aerial vehicles, such as drones, near stadiums.
Rep. Michael McCaul, a Texas Republican and former chair of the House Homeland Security Committee, praised the opportunity to use the World Cup to project American influence. Although he had not shared Democrats’ concerns about ICE, McCaul consistently inquired about DHS’s security plans for the event.
“Their role at the game is not to deport a bunch of people,” McCaul stated, commending Mullin for the agency’s focus. “Their role is to combat human trafficking. So far, they’ve been staying in that lane, and I think that’s a positive thing.”
ICE has primarily deployed agents from its Homeland Security Investigations unit, which targets serious crimes such as trafficking, counterfeiting, and child sexual abuse material, rather than its deportation-focused arm.
“DHS will continue to work around the clock with federal, state, and local partners to ensure a secure environment for the remainder of the 2026 FIFA World Cup,” the department stated.
In recent congressional testimony, Mullin highlighted the department’s success during the World Cup, noting the absence of significant incidents and lauding efforts to combat human trafficking and counterfeiting.
“Now, there’s a lot of fans that go around. Things happen. But there’s been no serious issue. We’ve had some threats come up. We’ve been able to knock it down because of our relationship with FBI plus ICE,” Mullin said. “We’ve got great reports back from our fan base.”
When asked in June if ICE had been directed to exercise restraint, Mullin dismissed such fears, stating, “there was never guidance that needed to be given.”
“That was the left drumming up fear, and that’s all it was. ICE has always been there to protect the public, and that is what they continue to do every single day,” Mullin emphasized. “The plan was always to keep the games safe and every stadium secure, even in sanctuary cities, and what we’ve proven through this is DHS is capable to work with sanctuary cities if they are willing to work with us, and when we do it together, we can keep everybody safe.”
Despite the general success, there have been some immigration-related issues. In June, Customs and Border Protection prevented a Somali-born referee from entering the United States due to unspecified “vetting concerns.” Additionally, the Trump administration imposed strict limits on the duration of stay for Iran’s national soccer team, often requiring them to return to their base camp in Mexico soon after their matches.
These issues, however, were not linked to ICE actions and occurred away from the public eye, minimizing their impact on the tournament’s perception.
Some critics of Trump on Capitol Hill argue that such actions might undermine the U.S.’s ability to use the World Cup as a platform to highlight its strengths to global audiences.
Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove, a California Democrat and advocate for U.S. “sports diplomacy,” expressed relief that ICE had not been aggressive towards fans but cautioned that other actions could suggest a double standard, especially since FIFA has not criticized Trump administration policies.
“You’ve had the referees not allowed. You had teams, players, who have been held up for hours and hours for searches. And the treatment of the Iranian team,” she said. “When you’re talking about sports diplomacy and you’re talking about a worldwide competitive event that really is about unifying the world through this sport and then you have multiple instances where players — the true ambassadors behind this sports diplomacy — are being mistreated, I call foul.”
Sophia Cai contributed to this report.
