Miami Officials Assured No ICE Raids at World Cup Games Amid Immigration Crackdown Fears

Miami officials have been told by the Trump administration that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents will not be present at World Cup games held in the city this summer. Rodney Barreto, co-chair of Miami’s World Cup hosting committee, told The Athletic he received assurances from Senator Marco Rubio that ICE would not be deployed to stadiums during the tournament.

This news comes as a relief to many who feared the presence of ICE agents could provoke unrest or intimidate fans and players, especially given the administration’s recent record of aggressive immigration enforcement in cities like Los Angeles, Chicago, and Minneapolis. Barreto emphasized that the event will not turn into a “round them up” operation and described the World Cup as a “great experience for everybody.”

The United States is co-hosting the tournament alongside Canada and Mexico, with Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium set to host seven games, including key fixtures featuring Brazil, Saudi Arabia, Colombia, and Portugal. The federal government approved a $625 million grant to enhance security across the 11 U.S. host cities.

Barreto credited President Donald Trump’s enthusiasm for sports as a positive factor helping organizers, noting the administration’s commitment to streamlining visa approvals for players and guests, including those from countries currently under U.S. travel bans like Iran. “We feel very comfortable that we’re going to be in good hands,” Barreto said.

However, concerns about ICE’s role in the tournament had been raised earlier this year when Todd Lyons, then acting ICE director, described the agency as a “key part of the overall security apparatus.” This sparked fears of potential immigration raids at stadiums, prompting FIFA President Gianni Infantino to consider appealing directly to Trump for a moratorium on such actions during the games.

Despite White House FIFA World Cup Task Force Executive Director Andrew Giuliani’s reassurances that Trump is focused on ensuring a “safe and secure World Cup,” civil liberties groups remain alarmed. The American Civil Liberties Union and a coalition of 120 organizations issued a travel advisory warning players, fans, and journalists to exercise caution due to the administration’s “rising authoritarianism” and ICE’s unchecked abuses.

The ACLU’s statement cautioned that ICE “continues to act with little accountability or regard for human dignity” and called for the agency to be restrained both during and after the World Cup.

This episode underscores the ongoing tension between the Trump administration’s aggressive immigration enforcement and the broader need for safe, inclusive public events. While officials promise no ICE raids at the World Cup, the shadow of federal immigration crackdowns continues to loom over communities across the country.