The acting head of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) told House lawmakers on Tuesday that his officers will be present in U.S. cities hosting World Cup matches this summer.
The U.S., Canada, and Mexico are co-hosts of the World Cup, although the majority of the matches will be played on U.S. soil, including Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Missouri, Los Angeles, Miami, New York/New Jersey, Philadelphia, Seattle, and San Francisco.
"ICE, specifically Homeland Security Investigations [HSI], is a key part of the overall security apparatus for the World Cup," Todd Lyons said at a House Homeland Security Committee hearing.
HSI is responsible for all criminal investigations related to human trafficking and is involved in many large sporting events, such as the Super Bowl and the Olympics.
Lyons was responding to a question from Rep. Nellie Pou, D-N.J., about whether ICE would suspend its enforcement operations during FIFA matches and other FIFA-sanctioned public events.
"We're dedicated to securing that operation, and we're dedicated to the security of all the participants as well as visitors," Lyons said.
This year's World Cup is expected to be the largest in the tournament's history, with 48 teams participating in 104 matches, including 78 matches on U.S. soil. About 10 million people are projected to visit the 11 host cities in the U.S.
Pou told Lyons that if people feel they're going to be "wrongfully incarcerated" by ICE officers, it will "hurt this entire process. I hope you realize that."
"Yes, ma'am," Lyons said. "ICE is dedicated to ensuring that everyone that visits the facilities will have a safe and secure event."
Pou responded that without assurances that ICE will pause its enforcement operations for the World Cup, "our local communities and national reputations will indeed be suffered."
Last May, in a meeting of the White House FIFA World Cup 2026 Task Force, President Donald Trump said, "Every part of the U.S. government will be working to ensure that these events are safe and successful, and those traveling to America to watch the competition have a seamless experience during every part of their visit."
Michael Katz ✉
Michael Katz is a Newsmax reporter with more than 30 years of experience reporting and editing on news, culture, and politics.
© 2026 Newsmax. All rights reserved.