Toronto moves to reject ICE presence during World Cup
Latest news on WhatsApp أجدد الأخبار على واتسابToronto has moved to push back against any role for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, after Mayor Olivia Chow submitted a formal motion to city council titled “No ICE in Toronto.” The motion says Toronto should remain a place where residents and visitors feel welcome and safe, and calls on council to oppose any ICE involvement in the city, including during World Cup matches.
The proposal goes beyond a symbolic statement. It asks city council to direct the city manager to avoid actions that could support ICE, especially during the tournament, and urges the federal ministers of public safety and foreign affairs to reject any ICE deployment in Toronto. It also asks Ontario’s solicitor general to oppose any ICE involvement and calls for the decision to be forwarded to the Toronto Police Services Board.
The timing is politically and operationally significant. Toronto is due to host six World Cup matches between June 12 and July 2, 2026, making security planning and public confidence central to the city’s preparations. The motion argues that any ICE presence could create fear at the very moment Toronto is trying to welcome the world.
Toronto’s move also follows a similar stance in Vancouver. In a February statement, Mayor Ken Sim said ICE had not been invited to operate in Vancouver during the tournament and was not welcome to conduct enforcement activities there. That statement added that foreign law enforcement agencies cannot exercise policing or immigration powers in Canada without explicit authorization from the federal government, and that no such authorization exists for ICE in Vancouver.
Taken together, these developments show that the World Cup debate in Canada is no longer only about venues, transport and budgets. It is also becoming a debate about rights, public trust and the kind of message host cities want to send to visitors and immigrant communities. Toronto’s motion is not yet a binding law, but it is a clear political signal that at least some Canadian host-city leaders do not want U.S. immigration enforcement to become part of the World Cup experience north of the border.
