Oregon senator’s letter urges the Department of Homeland Security and State Department to fix problems now plaguing travel to the World Cup long before America hosts the 2028 Olympics and Paralympics
Washington, D.C. –U.S. Senator Ron Wyden today demanded the Trump administration explain its sorry record of entry denials and visa problems for fans, players, referees, and family members traveling to World Cup games played in the United States.
“I wrote to the Department of Homeland Security and the State Department more than a year ago expressing concerns about your Departments’ unhelpful and unbalanced policies with respect to travelers visiting our country for major sporting events,” Wyden wrote Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin. “I warned that the Trump administration’s attacks on foreign nationals visiting the United States would undermine the economic and reputational success of events that should spotlight the United States as a welcoming country worth visiting. Recent entry denials and visa issues experienced by foreign travelers attending the World Cup make painfully clear that has been the case.”
“I write again to urge your Departments to take corrective steps to ensure a smoother process for the remainder of these soccer games and the upcoming 2028 Summer Olympic and Paralympic games,” Wyden wrote.
The senator noted in his letter that multiple Trump administration policy changes affecting visa issuances for foreign nationals have produced due process violations, mistreatment, prolonged questioning and detention, lengthy visa interview wait-times, visa revocations, and arbitrary denials of entry for visitors and returning residents of the United States.
“Over the past year and half, ordinary travel has turned into a traumatizing ordeal for tourists, business travelers, lawfully permanent residents, and U.S. citizens,” Wyden wrote. “Examples abound of that ordeal and its hurtful effects while the United States is currently hosting the 2026 Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) World Cup, which is expected to be the largest sporting event in U.S. history.’
“FIFA expected at least 5 million international visitors, and the State Department more recently estimated ten million visitors to the United States,” Wyden continued. “However, early reports from the tourism sector already show signs of lackluster attendance, due to concerns about travel to the United States. The Trump administration has placed a full travel ban on 20 countries, restricting entry for immigrants and nonimmigrants alike, while citizens from other countries ultimately chose not to travel to the United States due to fears of being targeted by U.S. immigration agents. These fears are not unfounded.”
The entire letter detailing multiple accounts of problems facing World Cup participants and travelers is here.
“Such stories needlessly jeopardize the United States’ reputation on the world stage and have a chilling effect on those considering whether they should visit the United States,” Wyden wrote. “There will be more travelers coming to the United States in the coming weeks for the World Cup, and many more ahead of the 2028 Olympics and Paralympics. I urge the Department of Homeland Security and Department of State to uphold the rights of travelers, avoid unnecessary denials, detention, and deportation of anyone attending these games, and keep Congress apprised of its efforts to ensure the success of these major sporting events.”
A web version of this release is here.