New England immigrant advocates issue travel advisory ahead of World Cup
With the FIFA World Cup set to begin in North America this week, immigrant and refugee advocacy organizations across New England are urging international fans, journalists and athletes to be cautious about traveling to games in the region, citing concerns about encounters with U.S. federal immigration agents.
The Maine Immigrants' Rights Coalition is among the groups that issued a travel advisory in the days leading up to Thursday's tournament kickoff. The coalition is warning that visitors attending World Cup matches at Gillette Stadium near Boston could face heightened scrutiny, denial of entry, detention or deportation at the hands of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
"Soccer should be bringing families and communities together, not tearing them apart," Mufalo Chitam, executive director of the Maine Immigrants' Rights Coalition, said in a joint news release. "FIFA must uphold its commitment to human rights by keeping ICE out of this year's World Cup."
The advisory also flagged concerns about social media screening, searches of electronic devices at ports of entry, suppression of speech, racial profiling and conditions in detention. The coalition noted that people from Latin America, Africa, Asia and the Caribbean could face heightened risk based on their national origin, race or language.
The warning comes against a backdrop of stepped-up immigration enforcement in Maine. Advocates said in May that reports of ICE arrests in the state had become more consistent since a January operation in which about 200 people were detained over just a few days.
Speaking in an interview Monday, Chitam said the climate of enforcement has already changed how World Cup fans in Maine are planning to celebrate. Some who would ordinarily host or attend rowdy home viewing parties are scaling back, she said, and organizations are arranging alternative gatherings that feel safer, even if they lack the energy of traditional soccer celebrations.
"You would have seen house parties where they are barbecuing and watching and screaming," Chitam said. "That's the thing they are missing and feel like they will miss."
Seven matches are scheduled at Gillette Stadium, with the first on Saturday. Boston is among 16 host cities for the tournament, and advocates estimate the region will see 2 million to 3 million visitors during the World Cup run.
Elizabeth Sweet, executive director of the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition, said in the joint release that the tournament should be a unifying event but warned that inaction could put travelers in danger.
"The World Cup should be a moment when the world comes together through sport to celebrate our diversity and an international competition, but because of inaction, it could put waves of international travelers at grave risk," Sweet said. "FIFA and the host committee must demand safety guarantees for local and international fans, vendors and journalists. We need local, state and particularly federal leaders to join with these efforts to keep these games safe for all."
In April, the American Civil Liberties Union joined with roughly 120 civil society organizations to issue a national travel advisory citing what they called a deteriorating human rights situation in the United States and the absence of firm guarantees from FIFA. That coalition pointed travelers to the ACLU, the National Immigration Law Center and Amnesty USA for information about their rights during encounters with authorities, and to the Committee to Protect Journalists and Reporters Without Borders for press-specific guidance. It also advised visitors from abroad to remove sensitive information from electronic devices, disable biometric locks and share their travel plans with someone they trust.
The Department of Homeland Security pushed back on the warnings. Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis said in an emailed statement Monday that the agency will "continue leveraging every available authority, technology and partnership" to ensure the games are safe and successful. She urged foreign visitors to take responsibility for their travel documents and predicted a trouble-free experience for those in the country legally.
"International visitors who legally come to the United States for the World Cup have nothing to worry about," Bis said. "What makes someone a target for immigration enforcement is whether or not they are illegally in the U.S. — full stop. Speculation to the contrary is ill-informed."
The statement did not directly address questions about whether ICE would conduct enforcement operations around the Boston-area matches. According to reporting by The Boston Globe, Foxborough's police chief said in May that ICE would not be involved in security operations at the stadium.
For advocates in Maine, the gap between official assurances and the experiences of immigrant communities remains the core concern. Chitam said her organization will continue to push for clear commitments from FIFA and federal authorities, arguing that the world's biggest sporting event should not require fans to weigh their love of the game against fears of detention or deportation.
