WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump intention stand center stage in Friday’s World Cup Draw Washington rolls out welcome mat for teams and fans around the world as government expands Travel restrictions to the United States It targets people from 19 countries and makes harsh comments about immigrants.
The administration is betting on its promotion. Speed up visa processing The attraction for visitors and the excitement for next summer’s competition, hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, will likely outweigh concerns that President Trump’s immigration message will undermine the theme of global unity that the World Cup represents.
Last week, President Trump said he wanted to do this. permanently suspend entry He came from a poor country and chose Afghans and Somalis For special contempt. The Republican president is also overseeing the signing. peace agreement between Rwanda and Congo He is expected to attend an event with a number of foreign leaders on Thursday to be honored for his achievements. FIFA peace effortsinternational football’s governing body, during the World Cup draw.
Critics say the dueling messages are offensive.
Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said, “The Cup is supposed to be a moment for the world to come together and put aside our differences and celebrate sports. The Cup is a symbol of the world coming together, and yet we have a president of the United States who is trying to shut the world out and shut people out.”
“At the most fundamental level, we have a president who represents everything the World Cup does not stand for,” Van Hollen said.
But Andrew Giuliani White House FIFA Task Force Executive Directortold foreign reporters on Wednesday that “there is a fictional narrative that the president does not welcome foreign nationals into the United States,” dismissing concerns about Trump’s rhetoric.
“He’s a New Yorker like me, and sometimes we say things that are a little different than what sophisticated politicians would say,” Giuliani said.
Some Iranian officials were denied entry to the US
The Trump administration is A travel ban was issued in June.. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Monday that she plans to recommend a “total travel ban against all countries that are flooding our country with murderers, leeches, and rights freaks.”
The restriction ensnared two countries that had qualified for the quadrennial tournament: Iran and Iran. haiti. The ban prohibits nationals from 12 countries from entering the United States and tightens restrictions on visitors from seven other countries.
The ban includes exceptions for World Cup players, coaches, “persons in essential support roles” and their immediate family members. Fans from banned countries will not be allowed in, a major source of tourism revenue for World Cup events.
Iran says it will boycott the lottery at the Kennedy Center after key members of the delegation were denied visas.
A spokesperson for the Iranian Football Federation said its officials were facing visa issues that go beyond sporting considerations. The White House referred comment on the matter to the State Department, which said the administration is committed to complying with U.S. law and supporting the World Cup while ensuring national security and public safety.
“Some of the delegation was approved, some of it was not,” Giuliani said. “Every decision is a national security decision.”
The visa refusal came despite assurances from FIFA president Gianni Infantino earlier this year. Close relationship with Trump He frequently visits the White House. In October, he told reporters: European football club general meeting In Rome, he said: “Of course there are no problems with visas for participating teams, delegations, etc. And we are working on something for our fans. We hope to announce some good news soon.”
World Cup balance adjustments
The White House emphasized that it is devoting resources to expediting visa processing elsewhere for fans attending the 48-nation tournament, where the majority of games will be held in 11 U.S. cities.
Rep. Darin LaHood, who has attended multiple FIFA task force meetings at the White House this year and is one of the most avid soccer fans on Capitol Hill, cited reduced visa wait times as evidence that the administration “wants to make this work and we want people to come here.”
“I think sports and the World Cup transcend politics,” said Lahoud R. Ile. He said FIFA will feature soccer legends as part of a new public relations campaign to emphasize the welcoming nature of the United States.
“There has to be a welcoming message that people feel safe coming to the United States,” Lahoud said. “I think we’ll start to understand that once the draw is over and the situation is set.”
The State Department has deployed more than 400 additional consular staff to meet global visa demand, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio said travelers to the U.S. can book visas within 60 days in about 80% of countries around the world. A new system, FIFA Pass, will allow those who have purchased World Cup tickets through FIFA to quickly obtain a visa appointment.
But there is a very visceral reminder of how the administration’s immigration crackdown will affect the hosting of the World Cup.
During this summer’s Club World Cup tournament, Alex Lasry, CEO of the New York/New Jersey World Cup Organizing Committee, became aware of an official government social media post warning that federal immigration officers would be “suited up and kicked out” at the games. Mr. Lasry recalled that he immediately brought the matter to Mr. Giuliani, who assured him that the representative’s attendance would be the same as any other major event.
Asked Wednesday about the possibility of immigration raids during World Cup games, Giuliani told reporters that Trump “will not rule out anything that helps keep the American people safe.”
Disappointed Haitian fans
Some fans are already facing the reality of not being able to travel to the United States.
Rich Andre, director of state and local initiatives at the American Immigration Council, is the son of immigrants from Haiti, a “soccer-mad country” that qualified for the World Cup for the first time in 50 years. He said many Haitians would love to come to the United States for the World Cup, but they probably won’t get that opportunity.
“Certainly they’re trying to create a carve-out here so they can continue the show,” Andre said, pointing to exemptions for players, coaches and people close to the team. “But the show doesn’t go on unless fans come to support the teams in person.”
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AP Sports Writer Graham Dunbar and AP Diplomatic Writer Matthew Lee in Geneva contributed to this report.
