The United States’ biggest domestic sporting spectacle, the Super Bowl, reportedly won’t be affected by the nation’s biggest on-going hot-button topic, the actions of Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
The Bay Area Host Committee informed city officials in the area that ICE has no raids planned for Sunday at the Super Bowl in Santa Clara, Calif., The Athletic reported on Monday.
Per the report, elected representatives from Santa Clara, San Jose and San Francisco — where official events are being held this week related to Super Bowl LX on Sunday — received the host committee’s memo.
The Department of Homeland Security will deploy agents at the game, according to The Athletic, commensurate with other top-level competitions including prior Super Bowls, the World Cup and the Olympics.
DHS spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin told The Athletic on Monday that the department “will not disclose future operations or discuss personnel. … Super Bowl security will entail a whole of government response conducted in-line with the U.S. Constitution. Those who are here legally and are not breaking other laws have nothing to fear.”
While White House adviser Corey Lewandowski stated last fall that ICE would be at the Super Bowl, calling it “directive from the president,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt refuted that statement the next day. Leavitt said there was “no tangible plan” to deploy ICE agents at the game.
ICE’s potential involvement at the Super Bowl became more topical after the NFL selected Bad Bunny as the game’s halftime performer. The Puerto Rican-born star is an outspoken critic of ICE.
