Just weeks before the official start of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued an official announcement. Markwayne Mullin, secretary of the department, confirmed that agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) will be present in stadiums “every day.” This major tactical deployment is part of a massive federal operation focused on maintaining public safety.
The federal official emphasized that the visible presence of ICE uniformed officers does not intend to alarm the civilian population. According to Mullin, the operation by agents during the upcoming matches to be played in U.S. territory seeks to address exclusively criminal activities. This operation will prevent crimes directly generated around the popular and lucrative international sporting event.
The unexpected announcement by the secretary generated intense debates among Latino and Hispanic-speaking communities across the country. While the national government claims to prioritize strictly controlling specific and serious crimes, community organizations warn of a huge risk. They argue that these large federal mobilizations increase fear and can lead to dangerous collateral immigration detentions and racial persecution.
What is the official objective of the ICE operation?
According to Secretary Mullin’s statements, the daily presence of ICE will have a specific and planned preventive objective. They will work alongside the Homeland Security Investigations Office (HSI) to actively combat multiple transnational federal crimes. These serious criminal activities typically include the dangerous trafficking of persons, drug trafficking, and clandestine sale of counterfeit tickets.
Mullin publicly emphasized the important mission of security authorities to enforce all of the country’s customs laws. “They will play a fundamental role in combating human trafficking, as well as in seizing counterfeit merchandise,” he highlighted in a recent institutional video published on social networks. The federal official noted that these important actions will be carried out in perfect tactical coordination with CBP border agents.
The DHS formally compared this ambitious plan with the rigorous security operation successfully implemented during the recent Super Bowl. In that American football event, the government managed to intelligently use the same preventive reference logistical framework. According to reports, local authorities expect a similar level of intense surveillance to combat organized crime within the World Cups.
Does the federal operation contemplate detaining undocumented immigrants?
Although the DHS high secretary affirmed that the government’s main objective is not to deport undocumented persons, concerns persist. The national official left enormous room for doubt by openly admitting that he also did not rule out the possibility of conducting immigration arrests during the World Cup. Mullin detailed precisely that, although ICE will not be deployed with specific aims of detaining civilians, its mission will always be to enforce the law.
“We are not there to detain people en masse,” Mullin clarified during a television interview.
