Ahead of FIFA World Cup, Gallego warns of impact of ‘aggressive’ immigration policies

In a letter to several Trump administration officials, U.S. Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) made note of the damaging effects the “aggressive, chaotic, and restrictive” immigration policies are having on the tourism and travel industries, urging the president and his cabinet to change course as policies in place are hurting small businesses and working-class citizens.

Addressed to President Donald Trump, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Gallego made note of the economic impact that Trump’s mass deportation agenda will have on jobs in the hospitality, restaurant, bartending, retail and airline industries, among others, ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The international tournament will be hosted in 11 U.S. cities, alongside host countries Mexico and Canada. Among host cities are Los Angeles, Miami, San Francisco and New York, which have seen a massive increase in aggressive enforcement tactics from both Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

According to Tourism Economics, the international soccer tournament is estimated to bring in over 1 million visitors, accounting for over 1% of the 3.7% estimated tourists to the U.S in 2026. This proposes a sharp increase from 2025, when the travel data company projects a 6.3% overall decline in foreign visitations, Reuters reported. 

While both government officials and tournament organizers have stated safety will be a top priority during the tournament, incidents that occurred during the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup beg to differ. In Miami, for example, ICE and CBP personnel provided security during the June tournament kickoff game between InterMiami and Egypt’s Al Ahly. Occurrences at other sporting events have called into question the involvement of immigration authorities in security measures, including ICE's presence at several L.A. Dodgers games this summer, which has generated backlash and a boycott movement against the city’s Major League Baseball team.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino said earlier this year that “fans from all over the world will be welcome” when they attend games and fan events across the U.S. He assured that FIFA is working with the country’s immigration authorities to streamline entry procedures.

The aggressive tactics with which the Trump administration has been enforcing immigration law will have a damaging impact, Gallego outlined in his letter, impacting a “tourism market [that] contributed $2.9 trillion in total economic output in 2024 and supported 15 million jobs.” 

These policies include a new fee of $250 on non-immigrant tourist visas; travel bans on 19 countries, primarily focused on Middle Eastern and North African nations; aggressive and frequent searches of international visitors at airports and other ports of entry; significant visa processing delays; and ongoing aggressive immigration raids across the U.S.

“I strongly urge the administration to reconsider the policies that are causing serious damage to international tourism and the economy. If the U.S. continues to be an unwelcoming destination for visitors, hard-working Americans, small businesses and middle-class families will pay the price,” Gallego said in the letter.

Gallego has run a pro-immigrant agenda since he stepped into his senatorial role in Congress in January, focused on strengthening security at the southern border with Mexico, amplifying and establishing pathways toward citizenship for incoming migrants and those who have lived in the U.S. for decades and addressing root causes of major migration flows into the U.S. He has also showed support of policies that target immigrants who commit crimes, signaling a right-leaning approach that differs from his previous tenure as a sitting House member.