Overview
- ICE warned fans about rising scams and fake merchandise tied to the 2026 tournament, citing more than 276,000 counterfeit sports items seized last year worth over $33 million and promoting its “True Fans Keep It Real” campaign.
- Hospitality workers at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, represented by Unite Here Local 11, pressed FIFA and venue owner Kroenke Sports & Entertainment to keep ICE and Border Patrol off World Cup sites and pointed to contract terms that require judicial orders for immigration-agent entry.
- Union leaders said workers may refuse shifts if federal agents show up near properties, linking safety fears to stalled contracts and concerns about job loss through automation during the event.
- ICE’s acting director, Todd Lyons, previously told Congress the agency will be a central part of World Cup security, a stance that has heightened tensions with local labor groups and immigrant advocates.
- H.R. 7986, introduced March 18 and now in the House Judiciary Committee, would block DHS and DOJ from using federal funds for civil immigration enforcement within one mile of matches and Fan Festivals, with narrow exceptions for imminent threats to life, national security, urgent arrests, or destruction of key evidence.