Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum on Friday urged U.S. officials to refrain from targeting individuals attending Saturday’s Gold Cup soccer match in Los Angeles between Mexico and the Dominican Republic.
“We don’t believe that there will be any raids if there’s a soccer game,” Sheinbaum said at a news conference. “We hope there won’t be any. We call for no action from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.”
Newsweek has reached out to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and ICE via email on Friday night for comment.
Why It Matters
Her comments come amid heightened immigration enforcement in Southern California, where federal authorities have detained more than 100 individuals in recent raids across Los Angeles’ fashion district and at Home Depot parking lots.
What To Know
The match is set to take place Saturday night at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, approximately 25 miles from where most of Los Angeles’ protests this week have occurred, as part of the Gold Cup’s group stage. Mexico’s national team regularly draws large crowds in Southern California—its last match in the region, a Nations League semifinal against Canada in March, brought more than 50,000 fans.
In response to the recent enforcement surge, President Donald Trump deployed National Guard troops and Marines to the Los Angeles area, following days of unrest sparked by the raids. Protests have ranged from peaceful demonstrations to more disruptive actions, including the blockage of a major freeway and the burning of vehicles over the weekend.
Due to security concerns, the Mexican national team relocated from downtown Los Angeles to a hotel in Long Beach earlier in the week. Sheinbaum also emphasized that Mexican consulates across the U.S. are ramping up support for citizens who may be unjustly detained.
Why It Matters
Sheinbaum added Friday, “This campaign we are carrying out through the consulates will provide all the information on what to do if detained, as well as ongoing contact with families.”
President Donald Trump welcomed a decision made on Thursday by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that allows him to maintain control of California National Guard troops he dispatched to Los Angeles following unrest
Reacting to this decision on Truth Social, Trump said: “The Appeals Court ruled last night that I can use the National Guard to keep our cities, in this case Los Angeles, safe. If I didn’t send the Military into Los Angeles, that city would be burning to the ground right now. We saved L.A. Thank you for the Decision!!!”
Grant Stern, executive director of Occupy Democrats wrote on X, formerly Twitter, “Why would ICE provide security for a soccer match?!? Exactly.”
What Happens Next
President Donald Trump’s immigration enforcers are set to be deployed at the FIFA Club World Cup game on Saturday at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami.
A spokesperson for CBP told Newsweek: “U.S. Customs and Border Protection is committed to working with our local and federal partners to ensure the FIFA Club World Cup 25 is safe for everyone involved, as we do with every major sporting event, including the Super Bowl. Our mission remains unchanged.”
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is also expected to be at the games, according to local Miami news outlet NBC 6 South Florida and The Athletic.
ICE issued a warning to attendees and said people should carry proof of their legal status, NBC 6 reported.
This article contains reporting by The Associated Press.
Update: 6/13/25, 7:56 p.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information and remarks.
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