ICE Promises No Raids at World Cup Stadiums Despite Trump-Era Enforcement Surge

The upcoming World Cup in Miami will not be a hunting ground for Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, according to Rodney Barreto, co-chair of the Miami host committee. Barreto told The Athletic on Thursday that he received explicit assurances from Senator Marco Rubio that ICE will not be conducting immigration enforcement activities at the stadiums during the soccer spectacle.

“ICE is not going to be at the stadium,” Barreto stated firmly. “This is not going to turn into some ‘round them up’ type of thing. That’s not the purpose of this.” He emphasized that the event should be a positive experience for all attendees and credited the Trump administration’s support for funding police protection at the venues.

Barreto also described conversations with Rubio about ensuring smooth processing of passports and orderly entry for visitors, calling the federal government’s involvement “a major undertaking” that has left organizers “very comfortable” about the event’s management.

These reassurances stand in stark contrast to the reality of ICE’s intensified immigration enforcement since Donald Trump resumed the presidency last year. The agency has ramped up raids and detentions nationwide, fueling political controversy and fear among immigrant communities.

Miami’s role as a World Cup host city also follows chaotic scenes at the 2024 Copa America championship game at Hard Rock Stadium, where fans overwhelmed security and stormed gates, causing injuries and delays. Barreto criticized the lack of perimeter control at that event, noting, “People without tickets should have been nowhere near the entrance ways of that stadium.”

He acknowledged that the World Cup organizers have learned from past failures and are planning more robust security measures to prevent similar incidents, saying, “You learn from all these events, and you learn to do it better and come up with different scenarios which mitigate this from happening in the future.”

While the promise to keep ICE out of the World Cup stadiums may offer some relief, it does not erase the broader pattern of aggressive immigration enforcement under the current administration. The Trump administration’s use of federal agencies to intimidate immigrant communities remains a pressing concern, especially at high-profile public gatherings where fear of raids could chill attendance and participation.

As the World Cup approaches, activists and immigrant rights groups will be watching closely to ensure that the event remains a safe space free from the overreach and intimidation tactics that have become hallmarks of Trump’s immigration agenda.