Sponsors (4)
The bill temporarily shields public transit from routine federal civil immigration enforcement during the World Cup to reduce fear and encourage transit use, trading off some federal enforcement capacity and clarity for greater local ease of movement and event-focused policing.
Immigrants using public transit in host metropolitan areas will face fewer civil immigration encounters on transit during June 11–July 19, 2026, reducing fear of detention while traveling.
Urban commuters and event attendees in host cities will be more willing to use public transit and attend World Cup events without fear of immigration enforcement, increasing transit ridership and local economic activity.
Local governments and police can concentrate on public-safety and event-related policing (rather than civil immigration checks) on transit, potentially improving local resource allocation during the event.
Noncitizens with civil immigration violations may be less likely to be detected on public transit during the specified period, constraining DHS/DOJ civil immigration enforcement in non-exigent situations.
If federal enforcement is limited on transit, enforcement activity could shift to other public locations near transit, increasing immigration enforcement impacts in nearby neighborhoods.
Ambiguity in what counts as an "exigent circumstance" may provoke disputes and operational confusion between federal and local agencies about when enforcement is permitted during a major event.
Based on analysis of 4 sections of legislative text.
Temporarily bars DHS/DOJ use of federal funds for civil immigration enforcement on public transit and at transit hubs in host metro areas during June 11–July 19, 2026, except for narrowly defined exigent circumstances.
Prohibits the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Department of Justice (DOJ) from using federal funds to carry out civil immigration enforcement on public transit or at transit hubs in metropolitan areas that host a 2026 FIFA World Cup match or FIFA Fan Festival, from June 11, 2026 through July 19, 2026. Enforcement actions are still allowed in narrowly defined "exigent circumstances," including imminent risk of death or terrorism, threats to national security, immediate arrest or hot pursuit of someone posing an imminent public-safety risk, or imminent destruction of evidence in an ongoing criminal case.
Introduced March 18, 2026 by Eric Swalwell · Last progress March 18, 2026