Miami – Comments by Rodney Barreto, chair of the Miami FIFA World Cup Host Committee, who told The Athletic that he received personal assurances from Marco Rubio that immigration enforcement agents would not operate at FIFA World Cup venues, should be met with skepticism. Informal promises behind closed doors are insufficient amid an unprecedented escalation of immigration enforcement across Florida and the United States.
“A personal assurance is not policy, and it is not protection,” said Yareliz Zamora, Florida coordinator for American Friends Service Committee. “If the administration truly intends to ensure that everyone who wants to attend World Cup events safely can do so, without the threat of being kidnapped by their detention and deportation goons, then it must formally announce a moratorium on immigration enforcement connected to the tournament.”
In Florida, the threat extends far beyond federal immigration agents alone. Under agreements with the state and federal government, local law enforcement agencies across Florida have been increasingly deputized to carry out immigration enforcement functions.
“In Florida, this is not simply an ICE issue,” said Thomas Kennedy, policy analyst with the Florida Immigrant Coalition. “Local police departments have been transformed into immigration agents through 287(g) agreements and other enforcement partnerships. For many Floridians across the spectrum, there is no meaningful distinction between ICE and local police anymore.”
Without formal, public guarantees prohibiting immigration enforcement activity before and during the World Cup, fear and uncertainty will continue to overshadow the event for immigrant communities.
Organizations are calling for:
- A formal federal moratorium on immigration enforcement operations tied to FIFA World Cup events and surrounding areas.
- Clear public guidance prohibiting enforcement actions at stadiums, fan zones, transit hubs, hotels, and related events.
- Transparency regarding the role of local law enforcement agencies participating in immigration enforcement partnerships.
