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By Dan Gooding
Associate News Editor
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More than 120 organizations issued a travel warning for the United States on Thursday, telling those who want to visit for the FIFA World Cup to use caution amid the Trump administration's heightened immigration enforcement measures.
With World Cup games set to take place in 11 U.S. cities, attracting visitors from across the globe, the groups, including the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and Reporters Without Borders, said visitors should use caution.
"While the Trump administration’s rising authoritarianism and increasing violence pose serious risks to all, those from immigrant communities, racial and ethnic minority groups, and LGBTQ+ individuals have been and continue to be disproportionately targeted and affected by the administration’s policies and, as such, are most vulnerable to serious harm when traveling to and/or within the United States," the warning read.
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Some of the groups behind the warning have long been at-odds with the Trump administration's immigration enforcement efforts and have filed lawsuits against some policies and decisions.
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The warning sparked criticism from U.S. Travel Association President Geoff Freeman, who told Newsweek in a statement that the groups were trying to sabotage the tourism industry.
"Let's say the quiet part out loud: the campaign by civil society organizations to discourage World Cup travel isn't about protecting visitors. It's about using the livelihoods of American workers and businesses as leverage to influence policies they oppose," Freeman said. "That's not advocacy. That's sabotage.
"Are there legitimate concerns about U.S. entry policies right now? Yes—and we've said so publicly. Has the Trump administration made progress in numerous areas? Unequivocally."
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) deferred to the White House when approached for comment, with spokesperson Davis Ingle saying that the event required coordination between federal, state and local authorities.
DHS has previously said that if World Cup visitors follow immigration laws and leave the U.S. before their visa or ESTA expires, they will not have any issues.
Why It Matters
The Trump administration's immigration enforcement efforts saw international tourism fall over the past year, along with multiple reports of visitors being detained by federal agents at airports. As the sporting event drew closer, administration officials warned visitors to follow the rules or face deportation—a message not usually explicitly given to tourists.
The memo also comes amid uncertainty over DHS funding affecting immigration enforcement agencies, as well as stresses on airlines amid the ongoing war in Iran and its impact on fuel costs.
US Travel Warning: What To Know
The memo issued Thursday by Amnesty International included a bold sentence that reads: "WARNING: Individuals may encounter or be subjected to the following risks and harms in breach of the United States’ human rights obligations under domestic and international law."
It went on to list several examples, including "arbitrary" entry denials and increased risk of arrests of foreign tourists at airports, particularly for transgender people whose passports do not list their sex assigned at birth—something the U.S. now requires.
Another issue the groups raised was increased social media vetting of those entering the U.S., with agents looking out for "anti-American" sentiments among other dangerous messaging.
The ongoing travel ban affecting 39 countries was also referenced, as were the sweeping Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids in cities across the U.S., with the groups explaining that risk levels would differ depending on where visitors were.
“The specter of immigration enforcement this summer has become the leading concern among grassroots organizations across host cities," Jennifer Li, who leads Dignity 2026, a national coalition working with grassroots groups in host cities, said in a press release. "Irrespective of their focus area—housing, labor, immigration—this issue has become a galvanizing topic. With less than two months to go, we are still waiting for public commitments from FIFA and host city organizers about plans to protect residents, workers, and visitors. The silence has been deafening."
The warnings did not just apply to tourists, with reporters heading to the matches also warned they were at risk of detention and should seek advice.
Freeman told Newsweek that there had been very few U.S. visitors detained by Customs and Border Protection or have had their devices searched.
"We continue to oppose potential visa fees, social media screening, and policies that make the U.S. less competitive as a destination. We say that directly, including to the Administration itself," Freeman said in a statement. "But discouraging travel by calling the U.S. unsafe for visitors is a different thing entirely. 67 million international travelers came to the United States last year.
"The notion that visiting America poses a meaningful safety risk is not a good-faith warning, it's a political tactic designed to cause economic harm."
Will ICE Be at the World Cup?
In February, acting ICE Director Todd Lyons said that officers would be at the World Cup, which begins on June 11.
Agents from its Homeland Security Investigations team are often at major sporting events, but their presence has been noted more during President Donald Trump's second term, likely because of the administration's increased focus on immigration.
The administration said that having federal agents at the World Cup is necessary to ensure a secure event.
“The FIFA 2026 World Cup will no doubt be one of the greatest and most spectacular events in the history of mankind, attracting millions of fans from around the world to eleven host cities across America," Davis Ingle, a White House spokesman, told Newsweek on Thursday afternoon.
"This will be a monumental event that requires close coordination between the Trump Administration, FIFA, and all of our great federal, state, and local partners. President Trump is focused on ensuring that this is not only an incredible experience for all fans and visitors, but also the safest and most secure in history–and no amount of ridiculous scare tactics driven by liberal activist groups and the left-wing media will change that.”
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