Of far greater concern than the weather, though, is the current political climate in the United States. The Trump administration’s attempts to tackle illegal immigration have caused a colossal amount of controversy all across a country composed of peoples from every possible race, colour and creed., with the conduct of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) proving particularly divisive.
In January of this year, six people died in ICE custody (Luis Gustavo Nunez Caceres, Luis Beltran Yanez Cruz, Parady La, Heber Sanchez Dominguez and Victor Manuel Diaz), while two others (Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti) were shot dead by ICE personnel in Minneapolis, sparking a wave of nationwide protests.
Consequently, ICE interim director Todd Lyons made headlines the following month when he stated that his agency will form “a key part of the overall security apparatus for the World Cup”.
“We’re dedicated to securing that operation and to ensuring the safety of all participants and visitors,” Lyons added.
By way of response, a New Jersey congresswoman introduced a ‘Save the World Cup’ bill aimed at preventing ICE from conducting raids within a mile of any World Cup match or fan festival.
“The World Cup should bring the world together and not leave families wondering if ICE agents will be waiting outside stadiums,” Democrat Nellie Pou stated on Thursday, March 19 amid confusion over when security grants promised to the 11 US host cities by the Department of Homeland Security would actually be distributed.
“When I recently asked the head of ICE (Lyons) directly for a simple assurance that they would stay away from the games, he refused. That is unacceptable. So my legislation draws a firm line on the pitch: no ICE raids.
“There is no successful tournament if fans and players are looking over their shoulders. We want law enforcement to focus on strong security for the World Cup, not meeting civil immigration quotas. We should not allow fear to define this moment and ruin the games.”
