Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin said on Wednesday he hopes the FIFA World Cup will help strengthen cooperation between the federal government and sanctuary cities.
“Even in sanctuary cities, where we have some of these games, we’ve had great cooperation with local and state officials,” he said during sworn testimony in front of the House Homeland Security Committee. “I hope when FIFA is over, we can show that we can work together and continue to keep our cities and our streets safe.”
Los Angeles is the host of eight World Cup matches, starting on June 12. The sanctuary city will host one of the four quarterfinal games on July 10.
Under California law, state and local law enforcement agencies are barred from cooperating with federal immigration enforcement, especially when it comes to detainer requests filed by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Tensions are high between federal authorities and sanctuary jurisdictions as anti-ICE protests plague Delaney Hall, a private-run detention center in Newark, New Jersey.
Mullin recently said he would pull Customs and Border Protection officers from Newark Liberty International Airport and dispatch them to Delaney Hall if New Jersey didn’t cooperate. Democratic lawmakers have expressed concern that he may do the same to other airports in blue cities or states.
Regarding the World Cup, the secretary indicated he is “looking forward” to highlighting the United States at the international soccer tournament but expressed concerns about the scale of the security required for the high-profile competition.
“We have 78 Super Bowls in 38 days,” he said. It lasts from June 11 to July 19.
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Later in the hearing, Mullin said drone threats are his “biggest concern” for the World Cup.
“We have spent a tremendous amount of ability and money to be able to be very offensive with drones, but on the counter-drone measures, everybody’s a little behind,” he said, adding that all 11 U.S. cities that are hosting World Cup matches “do have counter-drone equipment at the facilities.”
Mullins revealed that there have been drone incursions at other major sporting events, including the Miami F1 Grand Prix on May 3 and at the Masters tournament in Augusta, Georgia, in April. In all instances, the machines were intercepted and some operators were charged with violating a no-fly zone.