(The Center Square) – Seattle Mayor Kate Wilson told representatives of the city’s tourism community Thursday that federal Department of Homeland Security agents will be at The World Cup, but she doesn’t believe there will be a focus on making arrests.
“The Department of Homeland Security’s presence at designated mega events is typically focused on critical security operations,” she said. “So scanning vehicles and cargo for weapons, explosives, and contraband, combating human trafficking and intellectual enforcement action.”
But Wilson speaking Visit Seattle’s Annual Tourism Summit said she had not talked with federal officials.
“We don’t have specific insight into federal agent deployment plans for this summer,” she said.
Wilson said she was basing her assessment on what occurred the Super Bowl, which was played in Santa Clara, California in February, where the focus by federal agents was on critical security measures.
“So, we hope and anticipate that will be a similar situation this spring and summer,” she said.
FIFA World Cup games are scheduled to be held in Seattle on six separate dates starting on June 15, through its unclear if one game between Iran and Egypt will be played.
Iran said it doesn’t intend to send a team to the United States. It is unclear if FIFA World Cup officials would substitute another team. FIFA official didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.
Wilson said Seattle was committed to working with all of our partners to ensure that Seattle holds a “safe and welcoming event.” But she also mentioned her executive order from January 29 requiring city representatives, including police, not to cooperate with federal immigration officials.
Her order bans agents from city property and requires the Seattle Police Department to document the identity of ICE agents in enforcement actions and videotape their actions. The videos would be scanned for possible illegalities that could used for prosecution of the ICE agents.
A U.S. Justice Deptment spokesman in a statement to The Center Square on February 29 said the department “will not tolerate the obstruction of lawful efforts to enforce federal immigration law and has sued several jurisdictions over sanctuary policies that put the American people at risk.”
The Department has not taken any legal action against Seattle.
Wilson Thursday did not did not discuss her controversial program to only turn on surveillance camera planed for the Lumen Field area if there was a “credible threat.”
Seattle City Council Public Safety Committee Chairman Bob Kettle has said the cameras need to be turned on before there is a credible threat, in order to ensure public safety.
ICE representatives did not respond to a request for comment.
