White House says ICE at World Cup won’t focus on arrests
ICE will be at World Cup sites for security, but Tom Homan says arrests won’t be the focus as fans and workers watch for signs of enforcement.
White House border czar Tom Homan tried to narrow expectations around Immigration and Customs Enforcement at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, saying agents will not be focused on immigration arrests as the tournament opens across North America. The message lands as organizers, fans and immigrant communities brace for a monthlong event that will bring millions of people into stadiums, transit hubs and fan zones.
The tournament opens Thursday, June 11, with the United States co-hosting alongside Canada and Mexico across 16 host cities. FIFA’s official schedule shows the final will be played Sunday, July 19, in New York/New Jersey, which is set to stage eight matches in all. That makes the metropolitan region one of the most visible test cases for how security and immigration enforcement will be handled at a global event on U.S. soil.
Homan made his remarks in a June 5 interview with CBS News' Camilo Montoya-Galvez, underscoring the administration’s attempt to separate event security from immigration enforcement. But the distinction has not landed cleanly. DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin has said ICE arrests at the World Cup are not off the table if agents encounter a criminal, while also saying the agency will not be there to “round up” non-citizens.
That mixed messaging has fueled uncertainty over how the policy will work in practice at stadiums and surrounding areas. For many fans and workers, the question is not only whether ICE agents will be present, but how visible they will be and whether that presence could shape attendance, staffing and the sense of safety around matches.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection has said it will play a significant role in keeping the tournament safe and secure, coordinating with federal, state, local and international partners. New York/New Jersey host committee officials are preparing for the final and seven other matches, while the broader World Cup footprint stretches from Thursday’s opening games through the July 19 championship.
The practical impact may come down to whether officials can persuade people that security is a safeguard rather than a threat. As the World Cup begins, the administration is asking the public to trust a line that has not yet been explained in consistent terms: ICE may be there, but it is not there to make arrests.
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