Immigration and civil rights activists are telling foreign soccer fans to think carefully before heading to Florida for this summer's World Cup matches, arguing that the state's aggressive crackdown on illegal immigration could create problems for tourists.
The coalition made its case at a Thursday press conference outside FIFA's downtown offices near Miami, stopping short of demanding a formal boycott while leaving open the possibility of stronger action.
"We're using this opportunity to really urge visitors and tourists to have a calculated move about whether or not they're going to come," said Yareliz Mendez-Zamora, coordinator for the American Friends Service Committee, according to Politico.
The groups said they are circulating a travel advisory aimed at fans coming from abroad, advising travelers to carry identification at all times and notify their country's consulate of their travel plans before entering the United States for the tournament, which begins in June.
Activists also said they want clarity on how immigration enforcement will be handled around the games.
"What we don't want is our fans being harassed by immigration enforcement when they're just trying to attend the game," said Thomas Kennedy, a spokesperson for the Florida Immigrant Coalition.
He added he wants "assurances that there won't be immigration enforcement happening at these games indiscriminately."
ACLU Florida field organizer Dariel Gomez said the purpose is not to stir panic, but to "offer a sobering reality check" that some visitors could face racial profiling or even detention.
Newsmax reached out to FIFA for comment but did not receive an immediate response.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino — who awarded the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize to President Donald Trump in December — has said "fans from all over the world will be welcome."
The organizations also raised objections to travel bans, saying the administration created carve-outs for players, coaches, and their families from countries covered by U.S. restrictions but did not extend the same exemptions to Haiti — making its first men's World Cup appearance in 52 years — or to Iran.
With the Super Bowl set for this weekend, The Washington Post reported that Immigration and Customs Enforcement is not planning immigration enforcement tied to the event.
But Andrew Giuliani, executive director of the World Cup task force, did not directly answer in December whether ICE operations could take place near soccer matches this summer, saying "continuous conversations were happening" and that "the president does not rule out anything that will help make American citizens safer."
Seven World Cup matches are scheduled for South Florida.
Nicole Weatherholtz ✉
Nicole Weatherholtz, a Newsmax general assignment reporter covers news, politics, and culture. She is a National Newspaper Association award-winning journalist.
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