Chairman Garbarino, Rep. Fong Meet with LA28 on Security Preparations for the 2028 Olympic & Paralympic Games

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Last Thursday, House Committee on Homeland Security Chairman Andrew R. Garbarino (R-NY) and member of the Subcommittee on Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Protection Rep. Vince Fong (R-CA) met with executives at the headquarters of the LA28 Organizing Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games to discuss security preparations and coordination between federal, state, local, and private sector partners in advance of the 2028 Los Angeles Summer Games (LA28).

LA28 will have its Opening Ceremony for the Olympics on July 14, 2028, and the Paralympics will open on August 15, 2028. The LA28 organizers estimate that the games will bring 13 million spectators from around the world, as well as roughly 12,000 Olympic and 4,480 Paralympic athletes. Hosting the Olympics will be equivalent to hosting seven Super Bowls per day for 16 consecutive days.

Chairman Garbarino and Rep. Fong met with Reynold Hoover, the Chief Executive Officer at LA28; Voviette Morgan, the Senior Vice President of Safety and Security; Wes Gavins, Head of Cybersecurity; and Matt Sturges, the Vice President of Federal Affairs.

"As America hosts a 'mega-decade' of international events on U.S. soil, coordination between all levels of law enforcement, government, and partners in the private sector is essential to ensure the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics and Paralympics are safe and secure for Americans and international visitors alike," Chairman Garbarino said. "After hearing from LA28 in a roundtable in Washington last year, I appreciated the chance to join Congressman Fong at the LA28 headquarters to discuss our shared commitments to emergency preparedness and public safety. This insight will continue to guide the Committee's work to identify any gaps in communication, collaboration, or information sharing that can be addressed in the year ahead. As threats from foreign terrorist organizations, drone warfare, and cyber intrusions evolve, our security posture must be prepared to meet the moment."

Background:

In September 2025, the Committee's Task Force on Enhancing Security for Special Events in the United States hosted a roundtable with representatives from FIFA and LA28.

In February 2026, the Committee convened a hearing to examine how state and local governments are working alongside private sector partners and federal agencies to prepare for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, as well as America250 celebrations, and ensure the successful collection, analysis, and sharing of information to combat evolving threats across jurisdictions before and after the first whistle blows.

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) provides significant federal support for the 2028 Summer Olympics through $1 billion in grant funds to the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA's) State Homeland Security Grant Program to address "security, planning, and other costs" for the event.

Additionally, the reconciliation bill allocated an additional $500 million in grant funds for the purposes of enhancing state and local capabilities to detect, identify, track, or monitor threats from drones, leading to the creation of the Counter Unmanned Aircraft Systems Grant Program.

Having been declared a National Special Security Event (NSSE) in late January 2024 by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), security for the Los Angeles 2028 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games will be led by the U.S. Secret Service, who will integrate the various federal and state, local, tribal, and territorial components in designing and implementing the event's security plan. Clear and timely information flows are a prerequisite to mitigate threats to host venues, plan for contingencies, manage anticipated crowd volumes, and prevent both duplication of efforts and intelligence blind spots.

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