Like the Super Bowl, the FIFA World Cup also holds a significant fan base in America. But like every other major sporting event, hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of fans gather in the venue. Due to ongoing tensions in the nation, especially ICE operations, fans are concerned about the agency’s involvement in the 2026 World Cup.
It’s not just fans; Human Rights Watch (HRW) also seems concerned about ICE’s involvement in one of the biggest soccer events. While they have labeled the 2026 World Cup as a potential threat to human rights, according to USA Today, DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin has just confirmed that the federal agency will be present at the event.
Mullin has told CBS News that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) will be at the sporting event. He said, “ICE always does immigration enforcement. We’re always going to do that — but we’re not there for solely that purpose. We’re in there to do our job: immigration custom enforcement.” Later in the interview, Mullin also said that the agents will not “round up mass individuals.” And look for “the worst of the worst.”
The DHS Secretary thinks the media has made them look like a “villian”
It’s not the first time this agency has been involved in a major sporting event. As per Markwayne, ICE has been involved in the Super Bowl as well. The controversy around the agency seems fresh, and Mullin has just blamed the media for the backlash. In his view, the DHS Secretary thinks “media and the public,” “the Democrats” have portrayed ICE as some “villain.”
While that’s a different debate, just like Super Bowl LX, the 2026 FIFA World Cup is tied to a handful of controversies. First, Iran’s participation was in jeopardy due to ongoing tensions in the war. Many believed the country might remain absent despite qualifying. However, President Donald Trump invited the team, and later Gianni Infantino himself confirmed that Iran will be playing. Another controversy is the skyrocketing ticket prices. Since the Washington lawmakers are looking into FIFA, a price drop could be expected.
Coming back to the involvement of ICE. Previously, the Miami host committee said that the agency would not be at the stadium. The co-chair of the committee, Rodney Barreto, told The Athletic, “ICE is not going to be at the stadium. This is not going to turn into some ‘round them up’ type of thing. That’s not the purpose of this. It will be a great experience for everybody.” However, the DHS Secretary has just confirmed the federal agency’s involvement.
His words suggest that the agency will be there, doing its job. Regardless of these tensions, the 2026 FIFA World Cup is getting a lot of hype with many excited to see America’s soccer team compete on their soil.
Published: May 15, 2026 11:30 am