Human Rights Watch (HRW) expressed concerns Wednesday regarding the safety of noncitizens attending the 2026 World Cup in the US, following the arrest and deportation of an asylum seeker during the Club World Cup tournament final in New Jersey.
The rights group condemned the incident and asserted that it exemplified how recent US immigration policies violate the rights of asylum seekers. Minky Worden, director of global initiatives at HRW, stated that immigration enforcement measures at sporting events could tear families apart and expose people fleeing persecution to life-threatening danger.
Worden’s statement came after police arrested a man in New Jersey while he was waiting to attend the Club World Cup tournament final with his family. The man and his family left their country of origin in 2022, fleeing death threats from armed groups. According to HRW, the man was initially arrested for unintentionally violating the Federal Aviation Administration’s directive prohibiting the use of drones in and around stadiums during sporting events, which usually only results in a fine. However, law enforcement officers asked the man about his immigration status and handed him over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. The latter detained him and moved to deport him to his country of origin, where his life might be at risk. At his request, HRW did not name the country of origin.
HRW explained that states and local law enforcement agencies that do not have arrangements with ICE, known as 287(g) agreements, should not ask people about their immigration status or arrest them to investigate their status. Additionally, agencies included in these agreements should take note of any inherent abuses and abandon them. HRW also pointed out that FIFA, as the World Cup organizer, should take action to address the impacts the US immigration policies might have on the running of the 2026 World Cup and ensure the safety of all eligible individuals during the event.
Rights organizations have criticized President Donald Trump’s administration for its immigration enforcement measures, including raids and mass detentions, which have been cited as human rights violations. In September, an immigrant rights organization and Washington, DC, residents filed a complaint against the administration, alleging illegal arrests of immigrants. Authorities also raided a Hyundai-LG battery plant in the US, executing a search warrant with ICE and other law enforcement agencies, which resulted in the detention of over 300 Korean citizens. The latter were later released and repatriated following negotiations between South Korea and the US. On December 3, a federal judge blocked the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) from conducting warrantless immigration arrests due to the absence of a risk of escape.
Rights groups have also condemned poor living conditions in detention centers, highlighting issues such as lack of hygiene and overcrowding that violate detainees’ constitutional and federal rights. In November, a federal judge ordered the DHS to comply with hygiene standards and improve conditions for detainees at a Chicago immigration facility.
