U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced a heightened security presence at the FIFA Club World Cup, raising concerns from fans amid ongoing protests against President Donald Trump’s immigration policies.
These concerns about CBP’s presence first arose following a now-deleted post from the agency stating that officers would be “suited and booted” for this weekend’s opening round of the World Cup.
The 32-team tournament is set to kick off this weekend across the country, with the first game taking place tomorrow at 7 p.m. between Inter Miami and Egypt’s Al Ahly at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Florida.
A spokesperson from CBP has stated that the agency works with many of the largest sporting events and that their presence at the FIFA Club World Cup is standard.
“U.S. Customs and Border Protection is committed to working with our local and federal partners to ensure the FIFA Club World Cup is safe for everyone involved, as we do with every major sporting event, including the Super Bowl. Our mission remains unchanged,” explained the spokesperson to The Athletic.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino addressed the concerns about CBP’s presence and said he has no concerns about the security process.
“No, I don’t have any concerns about anything in the sense that we are already attentive on any security question,” he said, according to ESPN.
“Of course, the most important for us is to guarantee security for all fans who come to the games. And this is our priority.”
In addition to CBP helping with security at the tournament, NBC 6 South Florida confirmed that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents would also be in attendance.
ICE reportedly told NBC 6 that “all non-American citizens need to carry proof of their legal status.”
Although CBP, ICE, and FIFA have all stated that there should be no reason to be concerned, many are still pointing out the issues with the agencies’ presence at this event.
Thomas Kennedy, an immigration advocate with the Florida Immigrant Coalition, said the framing of this event and the current actions by CBP and ICE should be worrisome for people attending the games.
Kennedy said he would be “worried and disturbed” if planning to go to the games, noting that he “would probably stay away altogether” to ensure safety.
“Detentions have clearly increased, and there’s such a hostile immigration enforcement environment right now,” he told The Miami Herald.
“It’s not just Miami—international fans with valid visas could feel intimidated. There are real financial and emotional consequences.”
These worries come as protests have taken place to voice displeasure with the current immigration policies, creating unrest in areas where ICE was conducting sweeps.
These protests began in Los Angeles but have quickly transitioned into states across the country, including multiple protests already taking place and being planned in both Dallas and Austin, as previously reported by The Dallas Express.