(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – National AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler is calling on FIFA leadership to keep Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Immigration Agents, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), out of World Cup host cities.

Shuler also pushed back on the Trump Administration’s use of the FBI background check database during the games, which compromises the privacy of Workers.  

In a new letter to FIFA President Gianni Infantino and 2026 World Cup Chief Strategy and Planning Officer Amy Hopfinger, Shuler highlighted the serious risk that FIFA’s planned collaboration with the Trump Administration’s immigration enforcement poses to the thousands of Workers employed in hospitality, transportation, event production and other industries for whom the World Cup will be their jobsite. 

Shuler demanded FIFA: “Publicly call on the Administration to commit to keeping Immigration Enforcement Agents, particularly ICE, out of host cities;” Called on the International Soccer Governing Body to “publicly clarify what role (the Department of Homeland Security) will play,” with the expectation that it be “strictly limited to providing operational security in accordance with the Special Event Assessment Rating framework”; and Urged FIFA to commit that “the Administration will not launch immigration enforcement operations targeting Workers, spectators or the general public anywhere in the host cities.” 

In the absence of action from FIFA, Shuler wrote “some Unions have signaled that this would create an unsafe work environment that may require them to take collective action to ensure that no Members are put at risk.”

“Given the racial profiling, warrantless arrests and other unconstitutional tactics the Trump Administration is using to detain and deport people with no regard for due process, our Affiliate Unions are deeply concerned about ICE being engaged for any purpose during the World Cup,” wrote Shuler. “The tactics of discrimination, violence and intimidation used by Immigration Agencies to target Working People across the country cause fear and chaos in our communities, and directly affect Workers, business operations and local economies.”

Shuler also pushed back on FIFA’s plans to open its Worker records to the Trump Administration’s FBI background check database: “Given the ways in which Federal Agencies are violating Workers’ privacy rights to build datasets to support unconstitutional immigration enforcement activity, and FIFA’s relative silence on the scope and implications of these checks, we are asking you to commit to working with Unions so that they can ensure Workers’ privacy and safety are respected. Specifically, we seek assurances from FIFA that no information reported in these checks will be shared with any constituent part of DHS that engages in immigration enforcement or used for immigration enforcement purposes.”

“Union Members working in stadiums, hotels, event production, transportation and many other industries will be critical to the success of these games. They deserve respect, dignity and safety on the job so they in turn can provide a safe and welcoming environment for all players and fans,” the letter concludes.

The National AFL-CIO is the Nation’s largest Labor Federation, representing nearly 15 million Workers and 65 Affiliated Unions across the country and industries.

It is also a founding member of Dignity 2026, a national coalition of Labor and grassroots community groups advocating on behalf of workers, community members, and other groups at heightened risk of adverse impact from the FIFA World Cup.

To Directly Access This Labor News Story, Go To: AFL-CIO Demands FIFA Protect Workers, Keep ICE Out of Host Cities | AFL-CIO

The Full Letter Can Be Viewed Here.