US Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin dispelled rumors of ICE “rounding up” people at FIFA World Cup events this summer, telling CBS News that the agency would likely still have a law-enforcement presence.
Since US President Donald Trump took office again in 2025, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which enforces immigration law, has come under increased scrutiny as Trump scaled up the arrest and deportation of undocumented immigrants in the country.
While ICE has had a presence at major sporting events since its inception in 2003, as the US gears up to co-host the World Cup, many have asked whether the agency’s role in the competition could include immigration duties.
Speaking to CBS News, Mullin confirmed that it would not be the case and that the agency would focus on other crimes.
"It's Immigration and Custom[s] Enforcement," he said.
"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," he said, arguing that "the Democrats" have "made them some type of villain."
Mullin added that sometimes, law enforcement encounters major criminals at sporting events, such as suspects in murder cases or drug trafficking. In those cases, he said, arrests could be made.
Mullin: 'We're in there to do our job'
"We're always going to do that. But we're not there solely for that purpose. We're in there to do our job," said Mullin. "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."
In April, the New York Times reported that senior FIFA officials had asked FIFA President Gianni Infantino to request a moratorium on ICE raids for the duration of this summer’s tournament.
Infantino’s close friendship with the President led anonymous FIFA officials to believe that Trump could be persuaded to make several policy adjustments to keep the World Cup on track.