Ahead of Scotland’s World Cup opener against Haiti at Gillette Stadium on June 13 in Boston, Human Rights Watch director of global initiatives Minky Worden says the match is at “legitimate risk” of being targeted by ICE enforcement, tied to uncertainty over Ha
The World Cup opener is supposed to be a night for noise and pride in Boston.
But it’s also a night Human Rights Watch is urging people to treat as potentially unsafe.
Scotland’s opening fixture against Haiti arrives on June 13 at Gillette Stadium in Boston. a city home to an estimated 25. 000 Haitians. For Minky Worden. the director of global initiatives at Human Rights Watch. the match in Group C is at “legitimate risk” of being targeted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents—particularly if the Trump administration is able to end Haiti’s Temporary Protective Status during the tournament.
“The men’s national team hasn’t qualified for 52 years and they’re going to want to cheer their national team,” Worden said. “The Haitian people have a right to attend and to celebrate.”
Her warning is tied to the uncertainty facing Haitian immigrants in the United States. Haiti’s first World Cup appearance since 1974 comes while the Trump administration has sought to end Temporary Protective Status and the matter is currently under review by the US Supreme Court. Worden said she is watching whether the status is revoked, fearing it could trigger ICE enforcement actions in Boston.
“There’s a huge Haitian community in Boston and many of them are there legally in the US, because there is a temporary protective status,” Worden said. “They’re legally here and they’ve been targeted by the Trump administration.”
She added that the risk could extend beyond the stadium itself. The acting director of ICE. Todd Lyons. had previously said earlier this year that ICE would be a “key part” of the competition’s wider security. Worden said she does not believe that necessarily means an ICE presence inside host stadiums—but she pointed to what could happen around grounds and fan areas.
“I think there’s some real, meaningful risk there (around stadiums and fan zones), because they’ve been targeted as a group and because they are racially identifiable,” Worden said.
Worden also referenced misinformation that has previously targeted Haitian people in the US. She cited debunked claims that Haitians in Ohio were abducting and eating pets, claims that were perpetuated in 2024 by JD Vance, who is now the US vice president.
“They have already been targeted by the Vice President Vance, who gave an enormous piece of misinformation that they were eating cats and dogs. They were not,” Worden said.
For Worden, the central issue is fear—especially for families who may attend games hoping to celebrate without consequences. She argued that Haitian supporters and the Haitian men’s national team should not have to watch for the risk of raids while they are trying to enjoy a tournament moment.
“Gianni Infantino (the FIFA president) ought to be standing with the Haitian fans and the Haitian men’s national team,” Worden said. “They have a right to play without fear that family members are going to be rounded up.”
FIFA did not respond to a request for comment.
In Massachusetts. Governor Maura Healey issued a statement to Daily Mail Sport saying: “People from around the world know that Massachusetts is a place that is going to protect their rights and safety. It’s why I’ve spoken out and will continue to speak out against ICE and what they’re doing to create fear in our communities and make people less safe.”.
With the Scotland-Haiti match set for June 13 at Gillette Stadium. the question hovering over the Group C opener is stark: whether the security picture around the World Cup will leave Haitian fans feeling safe—or whether uncertainty around Temporary Protective Status will follow them into the stands.
Scotland Haiti World Cup ICE Minky Worden Human Rights Watch Todd Lyons Temporary Protective Status US Supreme Court Gillette Stadium Boston 2026 World Cup Maura Healey Gianni Infantino JD Vance
So ICE is gonna be at the World Cup? That’s crazy.
I didn’t even think about ICE at a soccer game. If TPS ends then they’re just gonna round people up outside the stadium too? That seems like too much.
Not sure why they’re saying “targeted,” like are they gonna arrest fans for cheering? Also Supreme Court stuff takes forever, so wouldn’t ICE just wait? Idk, the headline makes it sound like a crackdown though.
This is why I don’t trust any of it. They said “legitimate risk” which means nothing, but still… if Haiti’s losing or whatever maybe they’ll blame immigrants too. I’m sure it’s peaceful right now, but the government always makes everything unsafe somehow. Sad for the people just trying to go to a game.