Minority Communities Fear ICE Arrests While Traveling to the US for World Cup

The 2026 World Cup, co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, is a major sporting event, but for many immigrants and minority community members in the US, the joy of soccer is overshadowed by the fear of being arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Among them, the Haitian community, especially in Massachusetts—home to about 87,000 Haitians according to government data—is under particular pressure.

Haiti will play its opening match of the 2026 World Cup against Scotland on June 14 at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. This marks the team's first World Cup appearance since 1974. However, many Haitian-origin fans, such as Emile (40, a truck driver in Ohio), are hesitating. 'I want to sing the Haitian national anthem in front of the whole world, but I'm afraid of being arrested by ICE. My lawyer advised me not to fly to avoid being detained at the airport,' he said.

This concern is not unique to Emile. Monica Sarmiento of the Virginia Coalition for Immigrant Rights said ICE's aggressive tactics are eroding people's sense of security. '70% of those arrested, detained, and deported have no criminal record. Many have lived in the US for decades, paying taxes for decades,' she said, adding that an atmosphere of fear and hostility is spreading across the US, not just during the World Cup.

78 of the 104 World Cup 2026 matches will be held in the US. The Hispanic community, which makes up 20% of the US population and is concentrated in California, Texas, Florida, and major cities like Miami, Los Angeles, Dallas, and New York, shares these fears. Meanwhile, the Haitian community numbered about 850,000 in 2024, concentrated in Miami and New York.

The administration of President Donald Trump wants to end the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) that Emile and many other Haitians currently hold, which prevents their deportation to Haiti—one of the world's poorest countries, plagued by political instability and gang violence.

A report by Human Rights Watch revealed that an asylum seeker was arrested by ICE and deported immediately after attending the FIFA Club World Cup final last year in New Jersey with his children. Over 120 US human rights organizations, including the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), issued a 'travel advisory' in April, warning that fans, players, and journalists could face denied entry, arrest, detention, deportation, and even mistreatment while in ICE custody.

A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) stated: 'International visitors who come to the US legally to watch the World Cup have nothing to worry about. What makes someone a target for immigration enforcement is whether they are in the US illegally or not.'

In Los Angeles, workers at SoFi Stadium—the world's most expensive sports venue—have threatened to strike if ICE forces are deployed there during World Cup matches. 'ICE should have no role in these matches. We don't want to live in fear when we go to work or fear being arrested when we go home,' said Isaac Martinez, a chef at the stadium, at a protest.

Beyond fears of arrest, high ticket prices are also a barrier. Julio Midy, founder of Radio Concorde serving the Boston Haitian community, said: 'Tickets are very, very expensive, and unfortunately, our Haitian community cannot afford them.' The cheapest tickets for the US vs. Paraguay match on June 12 were sold by FIFA at $1,120, $1,940, and $2,735. FIFA President Gianni Infantino has defended these high prices, arguing that the World Cup is the organization's main source of income, given that FIFA is a non-profit organization.