After being criticized for its harsh crackdowns in recent months, the American immigration police could see its actions reduced during the Football World Cup (June 11-July 19).
According to an article published by The Athletic, FIFA leaders discussed the possibility of their president, Gianni Infantino, asking the US president, Donald Trump, to suspend ICE raids during the World Cup to be held this summer in North America.
Infantino was reportedly open to this idea and planned to make a request to Trump for ICE’s role in the World Cup to be diminished. It is unclear at this time whether Infantino has officially made this request, or what the response from Trump and the US administration would be.
Raids have been conducted in several US cities by ICE during Trump’s second term, in line with the president’s campaign promise of mass deportations leading up to the 2024 elections. These raids have led to clashes with protesters, including the recent killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis earlier this year.
Todd Lyons, acting director of ICE, had previously stated that agents would be involved in security during the matches of what is set to be the biggest FIFA World Cup in history, with 48 teams.
Concerns have been raised by members of Congress about the presence of ICE around the World Cup potentially resulting in immigration control operations. Employees of 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.
The presence of ICE has raised concerns among FIFA member associations, especially in Europe, about the agency’s involvement in the event.
Initially, FIFA believed that limiting ICE operations to the 11 US cities hosting matches would be enough. However, with teams setting up base camps throughout the country, even in cities without matches, FIFA now seeks a total suspension of all ICE operations throughout the duration of the World Cup.
Trump and Infantino’s relationship, coupled with FIFA’s presence in the Trump Tower in New York and the organization awarding the US president the first FIFA Peace Prize in December, may pave the way for this request to be accepted.
