Texas Gov. Greg Abbott's office turned preparations for the 2026 World Cup into the latest front in the U.S. battle over immigration enforcement, with the threat of pulling or withholding public safety grants from Houston, Dallas, and Austin unless the cities changed policies that state officials said limited police cooperation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
According to The Texas Tribune, the funding at risk totaled about $200 million across the three cities, including World Cup-related public safety money for Dallas and grants tied to Houston's role as one of the tournament's host cities. The 2026 World Cup is scheduled to begin June 11 and will be played across the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
