ICE Won’t “Round Up” People At World Cup Matches, Mullin Says

Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin attempted to clarify what role Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents would play during the FIFA World Cup should they be deployed to matches and related events.

In an interview with CBS News, Mullin said that the agency will not be at the soccer matches to “round up” people. However, he did not rule out the use of ICE agents for security and the possibility they might end up making an immigration-related arrest.

“It’s Immigration and Custom[s] Enforcement,” Mullin told CBS News. “So, what do you find at a tremendous amount of sporting events? Counterfeit products, counterfeit tickets. You have counterfeit clothing being sold on the streets.”

The possible deployment of ICE at World Cup matches has caused some to worry the events could be the site of immigration checks and used as part of the administration’s ongoing crackdown on undocumented immigrants. Despite comments from Mullin and the administration that ICE would not be conducting immigration sweeps at the events, advocates say that is not enough.

“A personal assurance is not policy, and it is not protection,” Yareliz Zamora, Florida coordinator for American Friends Service Committee, told USA TODAY. She said if the Trump administration wants to put people at ease, it needs to announce a moratorium on immigration enforcement during the tournament.

Elsewhere in the interview, Mullin said the presence of ICE at high-profile events is nothing new, recalling that the agency often is present at events such as the Super Bowl. Mullin blamed Democrats for creating anxiety by demonizing the agency.

“When they’re at these sporting events, we’re not out there doing immigration enforcement,” Mullin told the outlet. “But we are looking for, maybe we have people that shouldn’t be in this country because they’re on terrorist watchlists.”

However, Mullin also told the network that it was possible ICE agents would end up making some arrests related to immigration enforcement: “Well, ICE always says immigration enforcement. We’re always going to do that. But we’re not there for solely that purpose. We’re in there to do our job…We’re not there to go round up mass individuals, but we are always looking for the worst of the worst. We’re going to continue to do that.”