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ICE will be at World Cup, but not to ‘round up’ migrants, DHS chief says

From Jerusalem Post · () English

Summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • US Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin stated that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) will have a presence at the World Cup but will not be 'rounding up' migrants.
  • Mullin clarified that ICE's focus will be on crimes like counterfeit products and tickets, though arrests of major criminals are possible.
  • The clarification comes amid scrutiny of ICE's activities since President Trump scaled up deportations, with FIFA officials having previously requested a moratorium on raids during the tournament.

The upcoming FIFA World Cup, co-hosted by the United States, has sparked concerns about the potential for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to conduct raids and deportations during the event. However, US Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin has moved to dispel these fears, assuring the public that ICE's presence will not be aimed at 'rounding up' undocumented immigrants.

It's Immigration and Custom[s] Enforcement.

· Markwayne MullinUS Secretary of Homeland Security, clarifying the agency's mandate.

Mullin emphasized that ICE's role at the World Cup will be focused on combating crimes typically associated with large sporting events, such as the sale of counterfeit goods and tickets. While acknowledging that law enforcement may encounter and arrest individuals involved in serious criminal activities like murder or drug trafficking, he stressed that this is standard procedure and not the primary objective of ICE's deployment.

So what do you find at a tremendous number of sporting events? Counterfeit products, counterfeit tickets. You have counterfeit clothing being sold on the streets.

· Markwayne MullinUS Secretary of Homeland Security, explaining ICE's focus at sporting events.

This clarification is particularly significant given the heightened scrutiny of ICE operations under the current administration, which has seen a significant increase in arrests and deportations. The agency's involvement in major international events has often been a point of contention, and Mullin's remarks aim to reassure both domestic and international audiences that the World Cup will not become a stage for mass immigration enforcement actions. The DHS chief's comments also come after reports that FIFA officials had urged President Trump to consider a temporary halt to ICE raids during the tournament, highlighting the delicate balance between security and the global nature of the event.

We're always going to do that. But we're not there solely for that purpose. We're in there to do our job. We're not there to go round up masses of individuals, but we are always looking for the worst of the worst. We're going to continue to do that.

· Markwayne MullinUS Secretary of Homeland Security, detailing ICE's operational priorities at the World Cup.
About this summary

Originally published by Jerusalem Post. Summarized and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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