House Task Force Members Demand ICE-Free World Cup Guarantee

WASHINGTON, DC - Congresswoman Nellie Pou (D-NJ-09), the top Democrat on the House Homeland Security Task Force overseeing World Cup security, and fellow task force members LaMonica McIver (D-NJ-10) and Al Green (D-TX-09) today called on the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to publicly guarantee that it will not conduct civil immigration enforcement operations at any FIFA World Cup 2026 matches, fan festivals, or other official tournament-related events ahead of kickoff later this week.

In a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, the lawmakers acknowledged the role DHS is playing with respect to illegal activity such as human trafficking, but warned that uncertainty surrounding civil immigration enforcement could discourage fans from traveling to the United States and undermine the games.

"With less than one week before the first match kicks off here in the United States, now is the time to address these concerns and issue a public statement making clear that your agency will not be conducting civil immigration enforcement at any World Cup match, fan festival, or other official related events," the members wrote to Secretary Mullin, urging DHS to issue the guarantee before the first World Cup match is played in the United States on June 12.

The House Homeland Security Task Force is Congress's primary body overseeing preparations for major international events, including FIFA World Cup 2026. The tournament is expected to bring millions of visitors to the United States and will include matches in 11 U.S. host cities, including East Rutherford, New Jersey, in Congresswoman Pou's district.

As the top Democrat on the Task Force, Ranking Member Pou has led congressional oversight related to World Cup security, transportation, and infrastructure readiness. She has helped lead hearings on issues ranging from human trafficking prevention and emergency preparedness to transportation coordination and public safety planning ahead of the tournament.

Congresswoman Pou has also worked to secure federal resources to support World Cup host communities. Earlier this year, she helped advocate for U.S. Department of Transportation funding to reimburse public transportation agencies for expenses associated with major events, including the World Cup, and has pressed federal agencies to ensure reliable rail, aviation, and transit service for fans, workers, and local residents. Following months of pressure and advocacy, Congresswoman Pou helped to secure the release of $625 million in federal funding for World Cup security that was being withheld by the Department of Homeland Security.

At an oversight hearing in February, ICE Director Todd Lyons refused to rule out civil immigration enforcement at the World Cup in response to a direct question from Pou. Following that exchange, Pou led her Task Force colleagues in a letter demanding an emergency hearing on the impact of the Trump administration's immigration policies on the World Cup. In March, Pou introduced legislation to ban civil immigration enforcement at World Cup matches and related events.

Last week, Pou demanded answers from Amtrak regarding its readiness for the World Cup after multiple recent rail disruptions affected service between New Jersey and New York. Additionally, with the increase in international travel arriving in New Jersey, Pou called on CBP to prevent potential air travel bottlenecks near MetLife Stadium where matches will be played by increasing the number of customs staff and expanding passenger processing capabilities at Teterboro Airport.

The full text of the members' letter is below.

Dear Secretary Mullin:

As Members of the Homeland Security Committee Task Force on Enhancing Security for Special Events in the United States ("Task Force"), we write to request that you issue a public guarantee that there will be no civil immigration enforcement at any matches, fan festivals, or other related events during the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The World Cup is a generational opportunity to unite communities from across the world. Absent such a guarantee, we are worried this opportunity will be squandered by the fear and anxiety of fans being swept up in this administration's mass immigration detention and deportation campaign.

In a recent U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement ("ICE") social media post, you stated that "ICE and HSI are going to be out there every day" at the World Cup. We recognize that Homeland Security Investigations ("HSI"), which is a component of ICE, has a legitimate and important role to play in securing the matches, and has historically worked at large-scale U.S. events such as the Super Bowl, providing intelligence and expertise to combat human trafficking and other illegal activity. In December 2025, our Task Force convened a hearing to examine human trafficking at mass gatherings. We know that human traffickers will attempt to use the World Cup as a means to conduct large-scale operations, exploit victims, and profit from their actions. We welcome your department's partnership to ensure the highest level of coordination between federal, state and local law enforcement partners to prevent human traffickers and other criminals from using this event for their illegal purposes.

At the same time, your department has repeatedly refused to rule out conducting civil immigration enforcement, which is legally and operationally distinct from the aforementioned operations. For example, when then-ICE Director Todd Lyons was directly asked during a hearing before the House Committee on Homeland Security if he would "commit, to ensur[ing] that ICE pauses its [immigration] operations and raids at FIFA matches and other FIFA-sanctioned public events," Director Lyons refused to commit, instead noting that ICE "is a key part of the overall security apparatus for the World Cup . . . We're dedicated to securing that operation and . . . the security of all our participants as well as visitors."

Local and state law enforcement also appear to acknowledge this lack of clarity regarding ICE's position on immigration enforcement at the games. Just last week, the Los Angeles County Sheriff stated that although he had been told immigration enforcement " would not be occurring at any of the games." However, he went on to say that "any of that's subject to change." Even when you were interviewed and asked about ICE and immigration enforcement at the matches, you did not explicitly rule out such operations in and around these games. This lack of clarity has already begun to affect public confidence in the World Cup and risks discouraging fans from traveling to the United States.

World Cup fans have reason to be wary of ICE's presence at the World Cup. Last year, nearly 100,000 people were arrested by ICE in and around the 11 cities hosting a World Cup match. During the Trump administration's campaign of mass deportations, ICE has used aggressive enforcement tactics that have led to the killings of at least three American citizens, Renee Good, Alex Pretti, and Keith Porter. Furthermore, the administration has created a vast infrastructure of detention centers. Detainees at these facilities, including Delaney Hall in New Jersey, have reported inadequate medical care, moldy food and undrinkable water, in addition to being systematically denied access to legal services and judicial review.

These actions are resulting in negative consequences for the World Cup and its host communities. FIFA and the Trump administration promised that the tournament would generate millions of visitors and deliver an economic boom to local businesses and workers. Yet reports indicate lower than expected travel demand and weaker hotel bookings across several host cities. Uncertainty surrounding the administration's immigration policies and enforcement activities risks discouraging international visitors and undermining the economic benefits that communities were promised.

Various organizations and government entities have already raised alarms about the risks of immigration enforcement for fans traveling to the United States for the World Cup. Last month, over 120 civil society groups, including the ACLU, NAACP, and Amnesty International, issued a travel advisory warning fans, players, journalists and other visitors that individuals traveling to the United States for the matches risk facing arbitrary denial of entry, potential racial profiling, or even detention and deportation. These threats have even prompted European Union officials to press FIFA President Gianni Infantino for assurances that European fans will be safe when traveling to the United States. Furthermore, one hospitality union representing around 2,000 workers at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, a venue hosting World Cup matches, has threatened to strike over ICE conducting immigration enforcement in World Cup host cities. Accordingly, the risks posed by ICE's potential immigration enforcement at these matches not only create diplomatic concerns, but also threaten the economic success of the tournament.

The World Cup is a one-in-a-lifetime opportunity to show the world the very best of the United States. But our country cannot achieve this goal if players, fans, officials, and members of the press are living in fear of being arbitrarily detained because of immigration raids at the matches. With less than one week before the first match kicks off here in the United States, now is the time to address these concerns and issue a public statement making clear that your agency will not be conducting civil immigration enforcement at any World Cup match, fan festival, or other official related events. We urge you to issue a formal public assurance through the agency prior to the start of the first match in the U.S. on June 12, 2026.

Thank you for your prompt attention to this important matter.

Sincerely,

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