The President does not exclude anything that makes this country safer
Trump administration official Andrew Giuliani stated the president won't exclude enforcement actions that enhance security, framing immigration enforcement as compatible with hosting duties. Human Rights Watch documented a case of an asylum seeker detained for three months after attending the Club World Cup final, raising concerns about immigrant safety at major sporting events.
- 2026 World Cup runs June 11–July 19 across U.S., Canada, and Mexico
- Asylum seeker detained for three months after attending Club World Cup final in New Jersey with his children
- Haiti and Iran citizens face entry bans; some team members received exemptions but ordinary fans' status unclear
- Visa wait times reduced to under two months at consulates in Argentina, Ecuador, Brazil
Trump's White House confirmed it will not rule out police raids and immigrant detentions during the 2026 FIFA World Cup hosted by the US, Canada, and Mexico, citing national security concerns despite FIFA guarantees for ticket holders.
The Trump administration made clear this week that it will not suspend immigration enforcement during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, even as the tournament prepares to welcome hundreds of thousands of international visitors to stadiums across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Andrew Giuliani, who leads the White House task force overseeing the event, stated flatly that President Trump will not rule out police raids and detentions if officials believe such actions serve national security. "The President does not exclude anything that makes this country safer," Giuliani said at a press conference in Washington ahead of Friday's group-stage draw at the Kennedy Center, where Trump is expected to attend.
The administration's position creates an immediate tension with FIFA's own assurances to international fans. The soccer federation and Trump have jointly announced that anyone holding a valid ticket to a World Cup match will have access to immigration authorities to request a visa. Yet Giuliani framed every visa decision as fundamentally a matter of national security rather than sporting hospitality. When asked whether people might be denied entry simply to attend matches, he offered no reassurance. The White House has reduced visa wait times at consulates in Argentina, Ecuador, and Brazil to under two months, and European nations plus Japan have visa-waiver status. But for citizens of Haiti and Iran—two nations whose residents face entry bans under Trump's executive order—the situation remains murky. Giuliani acknowledged that some members of both national teams have received exemptions, but he deferred questions about ordinary fans from those countries to the State Department.
The administration's stance is not theoretical. Human Rights Watch documented a case that illustrates the real stakes. An asylum seeker who attended the Club World Cup final in New Jersey in July brought his children to the match, planning what he thought would be a memorable family day. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detained him during the event. He spent three months in custody before being deported to a country where, according to his own account, his life is in danger. Minky Worden, director of global initiatives at Human Rights Watch, said the case reveals how immigration enforcement at major sporting events can separate families and expose people fleeing persecution to mortal risk.
The organization has called on FIFA to pressure U.S. authorities to refrain from using World Cup matches as occasions for immigration sweeps, as occurred during the Club World Cup this year. But the Trump administration shows no sign of accepting such constraints. Giuliani insisted that security and hospitality can coexist, yet his language—emphasizing that the administration will not tolerate "riots that threaten safety" and that every visa is a security decision—suggests a framework in which immigration enforcement is not a separate concern but integral to the event itself.
The 2026 World Cup runs from June 11 to July 19 and will be the first to span three nations. It arrives at a moment when Trump's immigration policies have become a defining feature of his presidency. For international fans, especially those from nations on the administration's restricted list or those with uncertain immigration status, the promise of a ticket may offer no guarantee of safe passage. The gap between FIFA's hospitality messaging and the White House's security posture remains unresolved, and with the tournament still eighteen months away, it is unclear how that tension will be managed when millions of visitors begin arriving.
Notable Quotes
The administration will not tolerate riots that threaten safety, and security and hospitality can walk side by side— Andrew Giuliani, White House World Cup task force leader
Immigration enforcement at major sporting events can separate families and expose people fleeing persecution to mortal risk— Minky Worden, Human Rights Watch director of global initiatives
The Hearth Conversation Another angle on the story
Why would the Trump administration openly signal that it won't rule out enforcement actions during a global sporting event? Doesn't that undermine the whole point of hosting?
Because for this administration, security isn't separate from hosting—it's the primary purpose. Giuliani's framing treats every visa decision as a security decision, not a diplomatic one. The message is: we're hosting, but on our terms.
But FIFA made a public commitment that ticket holders would have access to visa processing. Doesn't that create a legal or diplomatic problem?
It creates a gap, yes. FIFA said one thing; the White House is saying it won't be bound by that. The real problem is for people like the asylum seeker who attended the Club World Cup. He had a ticket, brought his kids, and still got detained. That's the precedent.
What about fans from Haiti and Iran? They're banned from entering the country anyway.
Exactly. Some team members got exemptions, but ordinary fans are stuck. Giuliani punted that question to the State Department, which suggests there's no clear answer. It's a gap in the policy, and gaps in immigration policy tend to get filled by enforcement.
Is this actually unprecedented, or do countries typically enforce immigration law during major events?
Most host nations ease enforcement during major events—it's part of the hospitality contract. The U.S. has done it before. What's different here is the explicit refusal to commit to that norm. The administration is saying: we'll try to be hospitable, but we won't promise not to detain people.
What does Human Rights Watch actually want the U.S. to do?
Stop using World Cup matches as enforcement opportunities. Don't station ICE agents at stadiums or use the event as cover for sweeps. It's a simple ask, but this administration has already rejected it implicitly by refusing to rule anything out.