ICE won’t promise to pause raids near 2026 World Cup stadiums in the U.S.

ICE will help guard World Cup venues

Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons told Congress on Feb. 10 that the agency’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) unit will play a big role in securing the 2026 World Cup.

HSI is ICE’s criminal investigation arm, focused on cross-border threats like human trafficking, counterterrorism, and counterfeit goods. It operates separately from the branch that handles immigration enforcement.

That distinction matters, because much of the public debate has focused on whether immigration arrests could happen at or near tournament sites.

A lawmaker pressed Lyons for answers

Lyons fielded questions from Rep. Nellie Pou, a New Jersey Democrat whose district includes MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.

The stadium will host eight matches, including the final.

Pou asked whether ICE would commit to pausing enforcement operations at World Cup games and other FIFA public events. Lyons did not agree.

He said ICE’s focus is making sure “everyone who visits tournament venues has a safe and secure event.”

HSI has secured big events before

HSI agents have worked major U.S. sporting events for years.

At Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans in February 2025, HSI led coordination of Department of Homeland Security (DHS) assets alongside local, state, and federal law enforcement.

Agents handled counterterrorism, human trafficking cases, and counterfeit merchandise. HSI’s Special Response Team also provided tactical support inside the stadium.

That track record means HSI’s World Cup role follows a pattern the federal government has used at large events for a long time.

DHS says legal visitors are safe

DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said international visitors who are in the country legally have nothing to worry about. She said what makes someone a target for enforcement is whether they are in the U.S. illegally.

In January, DHS said Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will work to deliver a smooth and secure experience for all World Cup travelers.

The White House Task Force on the World Cup, led by Executive Director Andrew Giuliani, said the federal government coordinates daily with host cities on security.

The White House left the door open

In December 2025, a reporter asked Giuliani directly whether the administration would rule out immigration enforcement at World Cup matches.

Giuliani said the president has not ruled out anything that will help make American citizens safer. Lyons’ testimony before Congress echoed that same position.

Neither Lyons nor other administration officials have spelled out the exact scope of operations that could take place near tournament venues, leaving the question unanswered heading into the summer.

A deadly incident raised the stakes

The Feb. 10 hearing drew extra attention because it marked the first time the heads of ICE, CBP, and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services appeared before Congress since two U.S. citizens were fatally shot during federal immigration operations in Minneapolis.

The shootings happened during a large-scale enforcement operation in Minnesota and have increased public scrutiny of federal tactics. Lyons defended ICE’s conduct during the hearing, but the incidents hung over the entire session.

Atlanta’s mayor wants ICE out of sight

Some local leaders have pushed back on enforcement near World Cup sites.

Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens said he hopes ICE’s presence during matches in his city will be “small, unnoticeable, negligible, invisible, and maybe nonexistent.”

Dickens said the uncertainty around federal enforcement is unsettling for citizens, small businesses, and local officials.

He added that Atlanta would inform residents and businesses if federal activity becomes known. Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium will host eight matches, including a semifinal.

Seattle and Los Angeles took steps too

Seattle’s mayor signed an executive order barring ICE from using city-owned properties for civil enforcement operations. The city will host six matches at Lumen Field.

In Los Angeles, advocates called on FIFA and host cities to commit to protections against racial profiling and arbitrary detention during the tournament.

Human rights groups including the ACLU and Human Rights Watch urged FIFA to seek government guarantees to protect fans, workers, and journalists.

Host cities must release human rights action plans before the games, but none have finalized them yet.

ICE also showed up at the Winter Olympics

ICE’s HSI unit deployed to the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy.

The U.S. Embassy said HSI’s role there was strictly advisory and intelligence-based, with no patrolling or enforcement. Officers worked from a control room at the U.S. Consulate in Milan.

The deployment sparked protests in Italy, but the agency’s role was different from what people expect at the World Cup, which takes place on American soil where ICE has full authority.

The World Cup is massive this year

The tournament runs June 11 to July 19 across 16 cities in three countries.

The U.S. will host 78 of the 104 total matches in 11 cities, including New York/New Jersey, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Miami, Houston, Dallas, Seattle, San Francisco, Philadelphia, Boston, and Kansas City.

This is the first World Cup to feature 48 teams, up from 32. Organizers expect up to about 7 million international visitors to come to the U.S. during the tournament.

MetLife Stadium gets the biggest game

MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., will host the World Cup final on July 19.

The stadium draws eight total matches: five group stage games, one Round of 32 match, one Round of 16 match, and the final.

Group stage games at MetLife feature some of the biggest names in soccer, including Brazil, France, Germany, and England.

The tournament also coincides with the United States’ 250th anniversary, adding another layer to the summer.

Security funding tops $700 million

The federal government has set aside about $625 million through the FIFA World Cup Grant Program for security.

That money supports law enforcement training, exercises, cybersecurity, and emergency response across host cities.

DHS has also put about $115 million toward counter-drone technologies to secure World Cup and America 250 venues. The full scope of ICE’s operational presence at the tournament has not been publicly outlined.

How the government handles immigration enforcement during the event could shape the experience of millions of fans.

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

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