Immigrant groups are warning visitors to be wary ahead of the largest World Cup in FIFA history.
On Thursday, the Massachusetts Immigrant & Refugee Advocacy Coalition put out a travel advisory warning that travelers at Logan Airport could face entry denial, arrest, and deportation.
In addition to MIRA, the advisory was issued with the help of the Maine Immigrants' Rights Coalition; the New Hampshire Alliance of Immigrants and Refugees; the Vermont Asylum Assistance Project; and the ACLU of Massachusetts. It warns of prospects of "serious rights violations."
"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," said Elizabeth Sweet, executive director of MIRA in a statement. She said FIFA and the host committee must take steps to provide safety guarantees to local and international fans, vendors and journalists.
Over 120 organizations have signed on to the guidance from the national ACLU, which came in April. Today's advisory is intended to reflect the broadened concern in the community.
"A visa or an Electronic System for Travel Authorization does not guarantee admission, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers have broad discretion to admit, detain, or deny entry at ports of entry," the ACLU document states. It notes that transgender and nonbinary persons traveling to the United States might face additional issues due to recent federal regulations suggesting that travelers must apply for visas using "sex assigned at birth."
The Department of Homeland Security has previously said its Homeland Security Investigations officers, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Officers, and other personnel will likely be present at World Cup matches. DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin has proposed restricting customs processing at airports in immigrant-friendly cities that have policies limiting cooperation with ICE. It is unclear how or if this will occur at Logan Airport during the World Cup.
"DHS will continue leveraging every available authority, technology, and partnership to protect the Homeland while ensuring the World Cup remains safe, secure, and successful for everyone involved," said Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis in a statement.
"International visitors who legally come to the United States for the World Cup have nothing to worry about," she 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. At the same time, foreign visitors MUST be proactive and should start working on their travel plans and documents well ahead of time to ensure a smooth travel experience."
The Trump administration has already fully barred foreign nationals from 19 countries from coming to the U.S. during earlier travel bans.
The ACLU also says there's concern that invasive social media screening could be used, as well as "searches of electronic devices" upon admission to the US, along with racial profiling at customs.
Immigrant groups are worried about the impact on local immigrants and their visitors.
"This event will draw many people to our state. There will be a heavy police presence — local, state, and possibly ICE," said Patricia Montes, director of Centro Presente, a grassroots advocacy group that works with immigrants in Boston. "It is important that our communities take safety precautions and know their rights and where to call if they encounter immigration officers."
The ACLU of Massachusetts is working to distribute Know Your Rights materials in multiple languages, and "encourages people enjoying the World Cup to remain vigilant, develop contingency plans, and take steps to protect themselves," according to a statement. The group said this is given "the absence of concrete human rights guarantees from FIFA or the U.S. government."
FIFA did not return request for comment.
Jeffrey Thielman, executive director of International institute of New England, which has many Haitian immigrant clients, said the Haiti-Scotland game on June 13 "should be a moment of extraordinary celebration for this region, given that we have the third largest Haitian population in the United States, in eastern Massachusetts."
"People should be out celebrating, they should be watching it at big public venues, but instead what our clients are telling us is that they're gonna be staying inside, laying low and watching it indoors," he said.
Copyright 2026 GBH News Boston
