Seattle immigrant soccer fans, workers face ICE fears as World Cup nears

What some had hoped would be a celebration of Seattle's diverse population and an opportunity for global unity has been clouded with trepidation for some as the possibility of immigration enforcement during the 2026 FIFA Men's World Cup looms.

Soccer, the world's most popular sport, is widely enjoyed and played by many immigrant communities in Seattle and beyond. But how the Trump administration's aggressive immigration crackdown will impact international fans and local residents partaking in festivities remains an open question. The American Civil Liberties Union, along with 120 other civil society groups, issued a rare travel warning in April to international visitors about the risk of serious rights violations in the U.S. 

Locally, immigrant advocates, tourism officials, soccer fans and workers are preparing for the uncertain federal presence at the games, with Seattle's matches kicking off June 15. While some may be put at ease with the city's so-called sanctuary protections, others remain on edge.

“There's a lot of anticipation and concern about how the World Cup potentially could be weaponized against our communities,†said CJ Garcia, co-director of organizing at Working Washington, a labor advocacy group that also supports immigrant workers. 

Messaging from the Trump administration on U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's role during the World Cup has been mixed. In February, then-ICE Director Todd Lyons said agents would play a “key part†in security efforts. But U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio this month told the co-chair of Miami's host committee that ICE would not be present at stadiums. In a Tuesday video posted on X, Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said ICE would be “out there every day.â€

Security at local games will include support from Department of Homeland Security officials, “standard for any major event of this scale,†such as last year's FIFA Club World Cup, according to Hana Tadesse, spokesperson for Seattle's World Cup local organizing committee. DHS agents were at the Super Bowl in Santa Clara, Calif., where the Seattle Seahawks beat the New England Patriots. 

Federal agents will be focused on “critical security operations,†Tadesse said in an email, including scanning cars for weapons, explosives and contraband, stopping counterfeit merchandise sales and investigating possible human trafficking. 

“We have not been privy to any specific deployment plans for federal agencies during the tournament,†Tadesse said in an email. 

Despite the uncertainty, immigrant advocates say the Trump administration's detention and deportation operations, tightened travel restrictions and hostile rhetoric causes concern. Since President Donald Trump returned to office, a number of international tourists, some with valid visas, have been detained by ICE or Customs and Border Protection, including in the Seattle region.

The ACLU travel advisory, co-signed by several Washington-based groups, warns those planning to visit that they could experience entry denials, invasive social media screenings and degrading treatment by ICE. 

“This administration has made clear its intention to heavily scrutinize and target people who are visiting the United States,†said Vanessa Torres Hernandez, ACLU of Washington integrated advocacy director.

A difficult decision

It's not just international soccer fans who are considering threats posed by ICE. Garcia, from Working Washington, said she and other organizers have seen “a lot of hesitation from workers.â€

The organization has been canvassing on Capitol Hill for weeks talking to hospitality, restaurant and gig workers about potential labor concerns. Some have told organizers they know of back-of-house staff who plan not to work during the games.

For immigrants already at the financial margins, they have “a very difficult decision to make,†Garcia said.

“There are workers who are like … ‘I am concerned about being able to pay rent, I'm concerned about being able to put food on the table, but I'm extremely concerned about the risk that is going to be put on our shoulders during the World Cup here,'†Garcia continued. 

During a recent canvass, Working Washington intern Aylin Diaz and organizer Charlie Capps went door-to-door down East Pine Street, passing out flyers titled “ICE Out!†with an illustration of a flaming soccer ball hitting a pile of ice cubes. 

At Fogón Cocina Mexicana, the pair gave a pile of flyers to server Uriel Santacruz. In Spanish, Diaz told him the importance of creating a plan in case ICE agents attempted to enter the building. The restaurant already has procedures in place, Santacruz replied, established soon after Trump returned to office.

The restaurant has a Know Your Rights poster in the back, he said, and a designated private area, which agents would not be allowed to enter without permission or a judicial warrant.

“You never know,†Santacruz said. The bigger concern specific to the World Cup is managing the anticipated flood of customers, he added.

For immigrants in Washington, particularly those who are avid soccer fans, the upcoming tournament is generating mixed emotions, said Malou Chávez, executive director of the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project.

Some immigrants already avoid crowded events and limit time outside, Chávez said. Even public watch parties and fan celebration zones, where groups of immigrants cheering their home countries may congregate, could be seen as too risky to attend. 

“We can't say, don't go to work or don't show up to the game (or) watch the game,†Chávez said. Her organization is focused on educating people on their rights. 

‘The ball and the community'

Seattle tourism groups say they've already had to adjust predictions for international visitors during the World Cup. The American Hotel and Lodging Association said concerns about treatment by immigration officials contributed to weak hotel bookings.

Visit Seattle spokesperson Joey Thompson said its December 2024 forecast for expected overnight international visitors attending matches was about 76,000. Those estimates dropped to about 60,000 in the February 2026 forecast.

The decline is partially because Iran, one of the countries set to play in Seattle, is under a travel ban, meaning Iranian nationals cannot obtain visas to come here. As of now, 38 countries are affected by full or partial travel bans. Fans from Haiti, also set to play in Seattle, are impacted as well. 

“On a greater scale, the economy and geopolitical concerns are also a factor that we and most other U.S. destinations are facing,†Thompson said in an email. 

Some local immigrant soccer fans remain excited about Seattle hosting the games.

The tournament offers a chance for local immigrants to stand up and resist anti-immigrant sentiments, said Som Subedi, founder ​of Portland-based group Bottles to Soccer, a local recycling initiative to support youth soccer. ICE, he said, has already created “enough fear and anxiety.â€

Parts of the Pacific Northwest soccer community have been directly impacted by immigration enforcement. A Portland-area youth soccer group canceled games because of reported ICE activity at community parks. A participant at a youth tournament Subedi hosted told him her brother, who used to drive her to practice, was deported. 

Soccer helps immigrant communities find belonging and community, Subedi said. He grew up playing soccer at a refugee camp in Nepal after he and his family fled Bhutan because of religious persecution, eventually arriving in the U.S. in 2008 as a refugee. 

He recalled watching World Cup games at the refugee camp, people packed in a house crowded around a black-and-white TV, sometimes as late as 3 a.m. Like many, Subedi said he's priced out of seeing the games in person. But he plans to cheer teams on with friends and family in Portland. 

“At the end of the day, you don't need language to play soccer,†Subedi said. “It's just the ball and the community.â€