Human rights organizers in Florida demand protections for people from FIFA and host committee

Marc Garber — Wed, 06 May 2026 17:29:47 GMT

As eleven cities across the United States are preparing to host games for the FIFA World Cup in just over a month, a diverse network of labor and human rights organizations have joined the Dignity 2026 Coalition and support its issuing of a travel advisory for fans, players, journalists, and other visitors.

Organizations of the coalition fear people living in or visiting host cities will be impacted by the Trump administration’s crackdown on immigration.

On Monday, representatives from local and national organizations spoke to members of the press outside the Miami-Dade Host Committee to raise awareness of the threat that ICE and other law enforcement officials may pose to Florida communities.

They are calling for FIFA and the host committee to create a comprehensive safety plan to safeguard the constitutional rights and well-being of locals, visitors and events staff. They are also asking for a moratorium on deportations during the games.

“As the advisory makes clear, we are not here to spread fear or panic. We are here to offer a sobering reality check,” said Dariel Gomez, a State Organizer with the ACLU for Florida.

Gomez added, “We also wanna be clear about what might happen if you are detained. The lack of oversight and accountability in our detention centers may mean that you are stuck in an indefinite legal limbo. We have documented people being discouraged, delayed, and outright blocked from meeting with their immigration attorneys.”

Yareliz Mendez-Zamora, the Florida Policy Coordinator for the American Friends Services Committee, stated that efforts have been made over the course of several months to engage with FIFA and the Miami Host Committee to get assurances that people and communities would be protected. However, “they have been dragging their feet,” according to Mendez-Zamora.

“So far, nothing has really materialized. Yes, there is blame on FIFA, but there is also blame on the Miami host committee. Local interests are incomplete without protecting immigrant communities,” added Mendez-Zamora.

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FIFA Fraud Allegations Reach Miami – And Bruise Latin America's Image

Tim Padgett — Wed, 27 May 2015 21:31:17 GMT

FBI agents haul boxes of potential FIFA scandal evidence out of the CONCACAF offices in Miami Beach Wednesday morning.(C.M. Guerrero / El Nuevo Herald)

The soccer world is in shock today because of a massive corruption scandal involving the sport’s international governing body. The case reaches into Miami – and the accusations deal a big blow to soccer’s image in this hemisphere.

Early Wednesday, FBI agents raided the Miami Beach offices ofCONCACAF. That organization oversees international soccer in North America, Central America and the Caribbean. The bust was part of a larger investigation into FIFA, the Switzerland-based organization that governs soccer worldwide. The U.S. has indicted nine FIFA officials and five corporate executives for an alleged $150 million bribery scheme -- which may have steered the 2022 World Cup to Qatar -- as well as racketeering and money laundering.

Almost all of the accused are from Latin America and the Caribbean -- includingCONCACAF president Jeffrey Webb of the Cayman Islands and FIFA executive RafaelEsquivelof Venezuela. Other Latin American countries involved are Brazil, Argentina, Costa Rica, Trinidad & Tobago, Nicaragua, Uruguay and Paraguay. A former U.S. FIFA and CONCACAF official has already pleaded guilty.

Also indicted was Miami sports marketing boss Aaron Davidson. Until last year his firm, Traffic Sports USA, owned the Fort Lauderdale Strikers pro soccer team.