Federal immigration agents are expected to operate during Super Bowl LX on Feb. 8 in Santa Clara, California, according to the Department of Homeland Security, prompting criticism from advocacy groups and renewed debate over immigration enforcement at major public events.
DHS said it will work with local and federal partners to ensure security at Levi’s Stadium, where the Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots will compete. “Our mission remains unchanged,” DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin told TMZ earlier this week, adding that the agency would not disclose details about personnel or operations.
She said people who are in the country legally and not breaking other laws “have nothing to fear.”
The announcement came amid heightened scrutiny of federal immigration authorities following two fatal encounters involving federal agents in Minneapolis this month. Meanwhile, opposition to ICE’s presence at the Super Bowl has also gained momentum online.
A petition launched by the progressive group Move On urging the NFL to block immigration enforcement at the event has attracted tens of thousands of signatures. The petition argues that recent enforcement actions have created fear among immigrant communities and says, “We cannot let ICE terrorize our communities and our families at the largest single sporting event in the U.S.”
Advocates have cited past raids as evidence of what they describe as aggressive tactics, including operations involving heavily armed agents and the detention of residents. DHS has not publicly commented on specific allegations but has emphasized that security operations at major events follow constitutional guidelines.
Political tensions have further fueled the controversy. Corey Lewandowski, a senior adviser to DHS leadership, said on The Benny Johnson Show that there should be “nowhere” that provides a safe haven for people in the country illegally, including the Super Bowl, as Black Enterprise reports. President Donald Trump has also criticized this year’s performers, including Bad Bunny, who is scheduled to headline the halftime show.
Public opinion appears divided. In a recent YouGov poll, 57 percent of Americans said they disapprove of how ICE is handling its job, while 58 percent said the agency’s tactics are too forceful.
Originally published on Latin Times
