The mayor of Los Angeles asked the government on Wednesday to reassure foreign supporters who would come during the World Cup, after federal agents shot and killed two American citizens during anti-immigration operations in Minneapolis. The World Cup will be organized this summer by three countries (United States, Canada and Mexico) but the vast majority of matches (78) will take place in this first country, notably in Los Angeles (8).
“We need to show a better face to the rest of the world, show that we are welcoming and that there will be no immigration problems,” Karen Bass said. His city was targeted in June by immigration police raids which provoked demonstrations that Donald Trump wanted to repress by sending soldiers there.
The mayor said she was “confident” that foreign supporters will not be worried in Los Angeles during the World Cup or during the 2028 Olympic Games, organized by her city. “But this message must also come from the White House,” she assured.
Fifa evokes “a dialogue” with the White House
An official from the International Football Federation (FIFA), which manages the competition, explained on Wednesday that it was in “permanent dialogue” with the administration of Donald Trump. “Everyone is sensitized to ensure that this World Cup is as safe and inclusive as possible, know that this work is underway,” Ross McCall, responsible for commercial operations at Fifa, explained to AFP.
Operations against migrants by the federal immigration police (ICE) – whose agents often have their faces hidden under masks and caps – have multiplied across the United States in recent months, particularly in large cities run by Democrats, from Los Angeles to Chicago, including Washington and Minneapolis.
In this northern city, two 37-year-old American citizens have been shot and killed by federal agents since January 7 during such operations, sparking international media attention.
