AdvertisementSKIP ADVERTISEMENTYou have a preview view of this article while we are checking your access. When we have confirmed access, the full article content will load.Federal agents are there for security, not immigration enforcement, officials say. But trust is fragile after the administration’s recent crackdowns.Listen · 5:23 min Federal agents outside of Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles last June during the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement surge, which has stirred anxiety.Credit...Mario Tama/Getty ImagesJune 10, 2026, 2:48 p.m. ETWorld Cup excitement among immigrant communities in the United States has been dampened in recent weeks by the specter of federal agents at games and fan festivals across the country.Federal officials have said that no large-scale immigration enforcement actions are planned at World Cup events. “We’re not there to go round up mass individuals,” Markwayne Mullin, the Department of Homeland Security secretary, said in a recent TV interview.But the Trump administration’s aggressive immigration crackdowns over the past year — including in some of the 11 U.S. host cities — have left people on edge anyway. Concerns intensified this week after reports of increased scrutiny for fans and participants at U.S. entry points, including a Somali soccer referee who was denied permission to enter.“Everyone’s angst and fear around the World Cup is valid,” said Murad Awawdeh, leader of the New York Immigration Coalition. “These agencies cannot be trusted.”In Los Angeles, a host city where President Trump sent 5,000 troops to quell immigration protests a year ago, the county sheriff, Robert Luna, called his counterpart at the local homeland security office about rumors of federal agents descending on World Cup games for immigration raids.He said he was assured that wasn’t going to happen. “I have trust they’re giving me the appropriate information,” Mr. Luna said, “because if that starts occurring, we’re going to have a whole new host of problems.”Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.Already a subscriber? Log in.Want all of The Times? Subscribe.AdvertisementSKIP ADVERTISEMENT