ICE Clarifies No Arrests or Firearms in Canada for World Cup

OTTAWA, Canada - United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents do not carry firearms or conduct arrests while operating in Canada, the agency clarified this week amid concerns over their potential presence at FIFA World Cup venues during the tournament co-hosted by North America this summer.

The statement from ICE comes as Toronto and Vancouver prepare to host 13 matches in the 39-day event, which Canada is staging alongside the United States and Mexico. ICE's Homeland Security Investigations branch maintains five offices in the country, located at the U.S. Embassy in Ottawa and consulates in Calgary, Vancouver, Toronto, and Montreal. Personnel there collaborate with Canadian authorities on joint probes into narcotics trafficking, weapons smuggling, human trafficking, and child exploitation, including efforts to identify and rescue minor victims.

"HSI special agents do not conduct operational activities in Canada, such as making arrests or executing search warrants," an ICE spokesperson said in an emailed statement. The agency emphasized that its agents lack jurisdiction on Canadian soil, a point echoed by federal officials. A spokesperson for Public Safety Minister...