Federal officials have assured Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna that civil immigration enforcement will not occur at FIFA World Cup games or related events in Los Angeles, Luna announced on Monday during a press conference outlining security plans for eight matches starting June 12.
“A couple of weeks ago there was some reporting, or rumors, about ICE potentially being at the FIFA games or events,” Luna said, addressing local, state, and federal law enforcement officials. He added that he personally contacted the head of Homeland Security for the Los Angeles region, who stated that federal agents would be present but only to ensure security at all venues and events.
“But in regard to civil immigration enforcement, they told us that specifically would not be occurring at any of the games,” Luna emphasized. However, he noted that this policy could change, adding, “Any of that is subject to change, but I have trust that they’re giving me the appropriate information because if that starts occurring, we’re going to have a whole new host of problems.”
The assurance comes after immigration raids by masked ICE agents in Los Angeles last year sparked widespread demonstrations.
Heightened Security for Iran’s Matches
Luna stated that law enforcement would increase staffing around Iran’s two matches in Los Angeles, with authorities monitoring potential protests or other activities near the stadium and fan zones. Iran and the United States are currently in negotiations to end their three-month-old war.
Iran is scheduled to play its first match on June 15 at SoFi Stadium, located near Los Angeles, a region home to the largest concentration of Iranians outside Iran. “Iran does bring a different dynamic because of the current world events,” Luna said. “So there will be additional staffing for some of those games.”
Zero Tolerance for Unauthorized Drone Usage
Officials also warned of strict enforcement against drones around World Cup venues, with temporary flight restrictions expected. “If a drone’s violating a temporary flight restriction, the capability exists to bring that drone down into a safe location away from the crowds,” said Patrick Grandy, FBI assistant director in charge.
“We are going to be constantly monitoring the areas around the facilities, looking for violators of those temporary flight restrictions,” Grandy added, warning of “a zero tolerance policy” for those who willingly violate the restrictions.
Los Angeles District Attorney Nathan Hochman said the security effort would bring an unusually large law enforcement presence to the region. “Between the dates of June 11th, all the way through July 19th, if you are a criminal, this is a terrible time to commit a crime,” Hochman said. “The district attorney’s office will prosecute you, and you will be punished.”
