Overview
- Unite Here Local 11 sent letters to more than 200 hotels, stadiums, and airport vendors in Southern California and Arizona urging them not to host immigration agents and warning that covered workers can refuse assignments if agents are present.
- The union says its contracts define the presence of ICE or Border Patrol as an unsafe condition that lets employees walk off or skip shifts without punishment, and it cites clauses that bar agents from private property without a warrant.
- ICE is expected to be part of the World Cup security effort, according to acting director Todd Lyons, while the Department of Homeland Security said it will coordinate security and told lawful visitors they have nothing to worry about.
- Major hotel groups and key venues, including SoFi Stadium, have not said if they will comply, and news coverage notes possible staffing gaps that could complicate guest services during the tournament.
- Union leaders point to recent fatal shootings involving federal agents and past protests over hotels housing agents, and workers say armed activity near job sites makes daily commutes and customer-facing tasks feel risky.