Sponsors (4)
The bill reduces immigration enforcement on public transit during the World Cup to ease fear and boost transit use, but it limits federal enforcement capability, risks shifting enforcement elsewhere, and may create interagency disputes over exceptions.
Immigrants and other transit riders in host metropolitan areas will face fewer civil immigration encounters on public transit during June 11–July 19, 2026, reducing fear of detention while traveling.
Urban communities, event attendees, and transportation workers will likely be more willing to use public transit and attend World Cup events without fear of immigration enforcement, supporting local commerce and transit ridership.
Local governments and police can concentrate on public-safety and event-related policing on transit systems rather than carrying out routine civil immigration checks during the event window.
Noncitizens with civil immigration violations may be less likely to be detected on public transit during the period, limiting DHS/DOJ's ability to carry out civil immigration enforcement in non-exigent situations.
Ambiguity about what counts as an "exigent circumstance" could provoke disputes between federal and local agencies over when enforcement is permitted, complicating operational coordination during a major event.
Restricting federal enforcement on transit may displace enforcement activity to nearby public locations, increasing enforcement impacts on immigrants and surrounding urban neighborhoods.
Based on analysis of 4 sections of legislative text.
Temporarily bars DHS/DOJ from using federal funds for civil immigration enforcement on public transit or at transit hubs in World Cup host MSAs from June 11–July 19, 2026, except for narrow exigent circumstances.
Prohibits the Department of Homeland Security and Department of Justice from using federal funds to carry out civil immigration enforcement on public transit or at public transit hubs in metropolitan areas that host 2026 FIFA World Cup matches or FIFA Fan Festivals during June 11, 2026–July 19, 2026, except in narrowly defined "exigent circumstances" such as imminent risk of death, terrorism, imminent national security threats, hot pursuit of a dangerous person, or imminent destruction of evidence. The measure does not change immigration statutes; it limits where and when federal civil immigration actions can occur during the specified event window and geographic areas.
Official title: To provide that no Federal funds made available to the Department of Homeland Security or Department of Justice may be used to carry out any civil immigration enforcement activity on public transit or at public transit hubs from June 11, 2026, through July 19, 2026, in any metropolitan statistical area hosting a 2026 Fédération Internationale de Football Association World Cup match or Fan Festival, and for other purposes.
Introduced March 18, 2026 by Eric Swalwell · Last progress March 18, 2026