The 2026 FIFA World Cup began and DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin defended the denial of visas to participants, including a referee from Somalia, a member of the Iraqi team staff, and fans from various nations.

Mullin defended the actions, stating that “we will not allow people with criminal records or who are suspected of having ties to crime to enter this country.”

"Now, the left-wing media wants to go out and report and say that this guy is a victim because we are against Somalia. No, we are not," he added.

"We talk to FIFA and their directors constantly. For anyone who was denied entry, we explain the case and show them why they were denied entry," Mullin said.

The World Cup takes place amid a tough campaign of arrests and deportations by Donald Trump's government, which aims to remove more than a million immigrants from the country annually.

Prior to the event taking place in the United States, Mexico and Canada, civil rights organizations such as Human Rights Watch and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) warned of the dangers of traveling to the United States and of letting our guard down in the middle of the tournament, since immigration agencies will assist in security work.

In fact, La Opinión reported that Human Rights Watch and the Sport & Rights Alliance coalition “launched a desperate call for help to the corporate partners and sponsors of the tournament to demand a ‘truce with ICE,’ stopping immigration raids and detentions for the duration of the soccer festival.”

78 of the 104 World Cup matches will be played in the United States.

Prior to the start of the event, the press widely reported on the fears of the immigrant community that normally fills the stadiums at this type of event.

Although the DHS denied planning raids on stadiums, it did not actually rule it out either, indicating that only those without documents have to worry.

"The World Cup should be a key moment for the United States to demonstrate what has always made our country stronger: welcoming people from around the world and uniting communities through a shared experience. Instead, the tournament begins in a context of immigration policies that have generated confusion, fear, chaos and uncertainty," said Mario Carrillo, campaign director for America's Voice.

Trump shields funds for ICE and CBP until 2029

Meanwhile, Trump shores up funding for detentions and deportations; The president signed into law the bill that grants ICE and CBP an additional $70 billion to their $170 billion budget, for a total of $240 billion guaranteed throughout Trump's presidency, until 2029.

La Opinión reported that of the 70 billion approved, 38.5 billion dollars will be allocated to ICE for hiring, training and remuneration of personnel. Included in that item are $7 billion for Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

For its part, CBP will receive $22.6 billion to strengthen border surveillance, hire new agents and improve the equipment used at land crossings and ports of entry.

The legislation also reserves $3.5 billion for border security technology, including surveillance systems, monitoring and intelligence tools.

These funds were approved without the implementation of reforms and safeguards that impose controls on documented violence by immigration agents. Nor was accountability guaranteed for actions that have even caused deaths during operations and in detention centers.

Deaths in custody and pressure on DACA beneficiaries

La Opinión reported that a 43-year-old Georgian immigrant died in ICE custody in Louisiana, becoming the 19th person to die in an immigration detention center so far in 2026.

“Records also show that 2025 closed with 32 deaths in ICE custody, the highest number reported in more than two decades,” the newspaper added.

Likewise, JeanCarlos Fiallos Manzanares, a resident of Miami Gardens, Florida, has been detained by ICE for a year despite being a DACA beneficiary.

“The JeanCarlos case highlights the blatant efforts to nullify the protections of the DACA program and expel hundreds of thousands of people from their status and their homes,” criticized the Home is Here movement.

One of the Trump administration's strategies is to cancel immigration protections such as TPS or humanitarian parole, making their beneficiaries vulnerable to detention and deportation.

In the case of DACA, delays in permit renewal have caused some beneficiaries to face employment difficulties and even risks of detention.

In fact, this June 15 marks 14 years of DACA, in the midst of Trump's aggressive deportation campaign and without a legislative solution for the so-called Dreamers.

Quote of the week "Singing my country's national anthem in a stadium, in front of everyone, is a historic moment that no one would want to miss... But, at the same time, I think twice. I don't want ICE to detain me," a Haitian immigrant from Ohio who is a TPS beneficiary told AFP.

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