Immigrant activists, civil rights groups and local leaders of Florida issued an alert for thousands of travelers planning a trip to Florida for the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026. They said the conditon of Florida is so deplorable that international travelers should ask themselves if a soccer match is worth the risk of being kidnapped and jailed.
“Florida is no longer a safe destination for international tourists. When federal and local agents can detain anyone at anytime without cause and without identifying themselves, everyone is at risk,” Florida Immigrant Coalition executive director Tessa Petit said in a news release. “International visitors must ask themselves if a soccer match is worth the risk of being kidnapped and jailed until God-knows-when, in deplorable conditions, by a secret police who is using racial profiling, judging people for how they look or their accent, and getting away with literal murder in the streets of our country. Such is the state of affairs in the United States and in Florida. We urge the international community to be aware of the risks before setting foot in Florida.”
