World Cup Visa puts US’ nightmare immigration policies front and center

While European tourists We marvel at the ranch dressing,Bok-ee, and Other wonders of Central AmericaPotential World Cup participants from Africa, Asia and the Middle East have witnessed a different American pastime: elimination. President Donald Trump’s blatantly racist immigration policies prevented dozens of people from traveling to the United States for the event — even the players themselves in some cases.

Swiss striker Brielle Embolo He was not allowed to go up The team’s trip to the United States was due to a criminal conviction from 2018 and had to apply for an emergency visa. in the wake of The American attack on IranIranian team It moved its training base From Tucson, Arizona, to Tijuana, Mexico, after the State Department denied visas to several players. Customs and Border Protection agents Detained Iraqi striker Ayman Hussein At Chicago’s O’Hare Airport, where he was interrogated for seven hours and his phone was searched. The team’s photographer was also arrested and banned from entering the United States. Customs and Border Protection Omar Abdelkader Ertan was prevented from enteringwho would have been the first Somali referee in World Cup history, was dismissed due to “vetting concerns”, even though he had already obtained an entry visa.

Fans were also turned away. One Scottish visitor had it Travel permit has been cancelled An hour before his flight took off. The Trump administration has justified these actions, stressing that travel to the United States is a privilege, not a right – and pointing out that some of the athletes rejected by the Trump administration pose a threat to America, despite being among the most talented soccer players in the world.

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullen — too He threatened CBP defended the visa denial from airports in so-called “sanctuary cities” before the World Cup, as did Andrew Giuliani, executive director of the White House World Cup Task Force. “Players, in particular, if it weren’t for the World Cup, they might not necessarily be allowed into the United States,” said Giuliani, Rudy Giuliani’s son. He told CBS News. Giuliani, who provided few details, claimed that Somali referee Artan was denied entry because officials discovered he was talking to “some very bad people.” Meanwhile, Customs and Border Protection officials claimed that Artan was associated with “suspected members of terrorist organizations.”

Jules Boykoff, author Red card: The 2026 World Cup, sportswashing, and the FIFA greed machineHe described the Trump administration’s stance toward international travelers as an unusual departure from World Cup practices. “When I bought a ticket for the Men’s World Cup in Russia in 2018 or the Men’s World Cup in Qatar in 2022, it was like getting a visa,” Boykov said. “Your ticket was your visa. This certainly does not happen with the United States.”

Boykoff, a political science professor at the University of the Pacific, said the 2017 joint bid between Mexico, the United States and Canada to host the World Cup promised that international travel would be seamless. In addition to claiming that fans will receive free transport to the stadiums, the three countries have promised that travel across their borders will be easy for players and attendees alike.

Even FIFA President Gianni Infantino, who awarded Trump his first FIFA Peace Prize, claimed that travel to the United States would be smooth despite the president’s immigration policies. “Everyone will be welcome in Canada, Mexico and the United States to attend next year’s FIFA World Cup,” he added. He said in 2025. “This will be a seamless process, ensuring that those who qualify will be able to attend with their fans.”

“A lot of promises have been made that it will be smooth,” Boykoff said. “FIFA has this phrase that they overuse: ‘Football united the world.’ Well, Trump’s policy here regarding the World Cup regarding immigration and visas pretty much divides the world.”

Last December, the Trump administration issued strict travel restrictions for citizens of 39 countries. Some countries – including Haiti and Iran, both of which are playing in the World Cup – have had their visas banned completely, while others, such as Côte d’Ivoire and Senegal, are subject to a “partial suspension” of visa procedures, including for tourists and business travellers. American Civil Liberties Union Travel warning issued In April, it warned travelers that “deteriorating human rights conditions in the United States” could lead to arbitrary denial of entry, arrest, detention, and deportation of travelers. Federal judge The travel ban has been temporarily suspended in early June, but by then it was too late for most fans to plan travel to the United States, let alone obtain secure visas.

Days before the start of the World Cup, the Iranian Federation Fan tickets have been cancelled For its three matches in the United States, preventing thousands of fans from attending matches in Los Angeles and Seattle. The problem is further complicated by Iranian player Mehdi Al-Turabi He received a single entry visa To the United States, which means he will not be able to return to the country after leaving. Giuliani, of the White House World Cup Task Force, said: Associated Press US officials worked with FIFA to ensure that Iranian players were able to enter the country before their matches. He added that some Iranian officials would be prevented from entering, saying: “As you can imagine, there are some people who claim to be coaches and may not be coaches,” hinting that some people linked to the Iranian national team have ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. The United States has since Easing restrictions imposed on the Iranian national teamallowing players to enter the country two days before its game Friday in Seattle.

Even fans from countries not on the travel ban list have had problems obtaining visas. Abu Kass, President of the Jordanian Fans Association He told the BBC He took more than 42 documents for the visa appointment in Oman, but his application was rejected. He wondered: “If the president of the fans’ association is rejected, who will accept?” Cass said he only knows of one Jordanian fan who received an entry visa for the World Cup. Dozens of Moroccan fans attended – including members of the country’s fan associations It is said They were refused visas even though they had tickets to matches in the United States. In light of these denials, a member of the Moroccan Parliament said asked the country’s foreign minister Require the United States to provide transparent justifications for visa refusal.

Infantino has effectively responded to all of this by asking everyone to calm down, and emphasizing that FIFA cannot control any country’s border policies. Infantino said: “It is unfortunate what happened to Omar Somali rule, but again we do not control everything.” He said At the press conference before the World Cup in Mexico City. “We’re trying, we’ll discuss, we’ll see. Maybe sometimes it’s good to relax too. We’re working on everything, trying to solve everything.”

But the Department of Homeland Security redoubled its efforts. Although the administration has not followed through on Mullen’s threats to withdraw Customs and Border Protection from airports in sanctuary cities, border czar Tom Homan continues to hint at it. Snow will fall on New YorkFederal officials said so ICE may be deployed in World Cup host cities To assist local law enforcement.

Todd Schulte, president of the immigration reform group FWD.us, said mass raids on stadiums were unlikely, but acknowledged that an increased ICE presence in host cities would likely put immigrant communities on edge.

“They’re taking a whole-of-government approach to going after immigrants, but less so than Greg Bovino Call of duty “Kill Squad Approach” Instead, the administration is targeting people, Schulte said Through the legal immigration system by Allowing ICE to engage in racial profilingAnd by stripping people of legal status. Schulte pointed to the recent Supreme Court decision allowing Trump to revoke temporary protected status for citizens of Syria and Haiti, which would make hundreds of thousands of people deportable with the stroke of a pen. Trump’s approach to enforcement is now more “diffuse and bureaucratic” than it was before, Schulte said. “They’re trying to make it less obvious.”

Communities in host cities are preparing for crackdowns. In Houston, volunteers from Organized Power in Numbers (OPIN) dressed as referees and handed out “red cards” to fans outside Shell Energy Stadium. These publications inform people of their rights when interacting with ICE and other federal law enforcement agencies – even if they are noncitizens. Volunteers also helped local business owners put up “Employees Only” signs to ensure parts of their businesses cannot be accessed by law enforcement, and showed them how to recognize the difference between administrative and judicial orders, which ICE rarely obtains.

Mauricio Escobar, an organizer with OPIN, said ICE has strengthened its presence in Houston over the past year, and said the group was preparing for more agents to flood the city during the World Cup. “We know that ICE and DHS will be here to act as redundant police, but that doesn’t mean they won’t do other things,” Escobar said, adding that OPIN is aware of racial profiling incidents involving ICE.

As with the Olympics, hosting the biggest event of the world’s most popular sport is supposed to be a boon for national pride. But Trump’s stance on immigration has become more aggressive since his return to office, and his second term has been marked by an unprecedented crackdown on legal immigration, especially from countries he considers inferior. Given that the United States, Canada and Mexico began their bid to host the World Cup in 2017, it is likely that no one — not even Trump himself — believed Trump would still be in office nearly a decade later, when the country is actively inviting thousands of foreign nationals to its shores. Bringing people of all nationalities together in one place is the primary goal of the World Cup, but for the US president, the more important message seems to be that even in a celebratory global event, some people don’t belong.