Acting director Todd Lyons called ICE ‘key’ to security
2026 World Cup takes place this summer in 11 US cities
The acting director of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) told a congressional committee on Tuesday that his agency is a “key part of the overall security apparatus for the World Cup” and refused to commit to pausing operations near games at this summer’s tournament.
The 2026 World Cup will be hosted this summer by the United States, Mexico, and Canada, with 78 of the 104 games taking place in the US. Various entities have estimated that up to 10 million people could visit the 11 US host cities for the quadrennial tournament. However, ICE’s role in Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown – including an extended and widespread operation in the Minneapolis/Saint Paul metropolitan area in which two people were killed by federal agents – has raised serious concerns among fans.
Speaking before the House committee on homeland security, Todd Lyons was testifying publicly for the first time since the deaths of those two Minnesotans, Alex Pretti and Renee Good. Towards the end of a hearing marked by verbal sparring with Democratic representatives, Lyons faced questioning from Representative Nellie Pou, who represents New Jersey’s ninth district. Pou’s district includes East Rutherford’s MetLife Stadium, the site of the World Cup final and seven other games, including England’s group-stage finale v Panama.
