New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani criticized the decision to increase the number of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers in the city as the 2026 FIFA World Cup approaches. In a post on X, he described the move as 'an attempt to divide us' and emphasized the contributions of immigrants to soccer, stating, 'Soccer would not exist without immigrants.' He noted that six players on the US Men’s National Team are immigrants and highlighted the role of immigrants in various aspects of the sport.
Mamdani further stated, 'We will not allow ICE or anyone else to sow fear in our communities — especially at this moment.' His comments were made in response to warnings from Border Czar Tom Homan about a significant increase in ICE officers in New York City, which Homan attributed to New York Governor Kathy Hochul's refusal to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement.
Homan explained that the increase in ICE presence is necessary due to legislation signed by Hochul that limits cooperation with ICE, which he claims complicates the process of arresting individuals wanted by immigration authorities. He indicated that more ICE agents would be deployed to New York City, although he did not provide specific details on the timing of this deployment.