The Trump administration is insisting that the U.S. is open and welcomes foreign visitors ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, even as a White House official refused to say whether or not ICE agents will target foreign fans attending the matches.
Andrew Giuliani, the Executive Director for the White House Task Force on the FIFA World Cup 2026, held a Wednesday press conference discussing next yearâs big games.
Reporters peppered him with questions, including inquiries about whether foreign visitors may be targeted by ICE agents when entering the U.S. or attending games.
The press conference was held just two days before the World Cup draw event, in which the initial game schedule will be determined through a drawing of participating teams. On the day of the draw, FIFA will also announce the recipient of its newly-created âFIFA Peace Prize,â which is meant to acknowledge individuals who have taken âexceptional and extraordinary actions for peace and by doing so have united people across the world.â
On Thursday, the Kalshi prediction market suggested that 91 percent of its bettors believe that President Donald Trump will win the award, CNN reports.
A reporter for Sky News Australia pushed Giuliani directly on the issue of whether or not fans might be targeted by ICE or other immigration agents.
“Will the Trump Administration rule out any ICE raids at any of these matches? And has FIFA sought any assurance from the Trump Administration that there wonât be ICE raids?” she asked.
Giuliani said that the Trump administration is “having continuous conversations with this.”
âThe one thing â and Iâve known the President for 25 years â the President does not rule out anything that will help make American citizens safer,” Giuliani said,
His response leaves open the possibility that World Cup visitors may be targeted by ICE.
Safety for participating teams and fans was a major focus of the press conference’s question-and-answer portion.
A reporter from NOS in the Netherlands asked if visitors might be stopped at the border or airports if they’d joined protests, or if they are from Haiti. The Trump administration recently ended protections for Haitian migrants in the U.S.
“The President of the United States called Haiti a s***hole country before. They are participating. Are people welcome regardless of their race, what they believe, the color of their skin in this United States of America, or should they be fearing that they might not get in or might get deported once they get into the United States?” the reporter asked.
Giuliani acknowledged that Haiti was part of Trump’s recent executive order suspending protected migrant statuses, but he said that Haitian teams and visitors “will be able to come in.”
“But obviously, every visa decision is also a national security decision, so I think itâs important to highlight that,” Giuliani said.
Another reporter from Turkey followed up on the question, noting that “human rights groups have recently raised concerns about the safety of non-citizens that will be traveling to the U.S. for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.”
She noted recent cases, including the “arrest and deportation of an asylum seeker who took his children to the Club World Final â Cup Final in New Jersey in June” as cause for her question.
“Can you give any assurances that fans will not face detention or deportation by ICE agents when attending the World Cup events?” she asked.
Giuliani said that the Trump administration wants “to make sure that as many people as possible had a legal pathway to be able to come and visit the United States for [the World Cup].”
“So itâs a great opportunity to make sure that people can come in here legally, and that is what the President is emphasizing. Please come to the United States of America; come in here legally. Weâre making sure that you will be able to go through your appointment,” Giuliani said. “If you are a potential threat, youâre not going to get approved. If youâre not, if youâre coming here to enjoy, spend disposable income, enjoy the United States of America, youâre welcome.”
