DHS chief vows ICE will be at World Cup amid slumping ticket sales

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin and his agency are touting a major federal law enforcement presence at this summer's FIFA World Cup — even as new data suggests the tournament may be headed for an economic disappointment.

ICE and Homeland Security Investigations will work alongside Customs and Border Protection to combat human trafficking, drug smuggling, and counterfeit tickets and merchandise during the tournament, according to an official ICE post on X.

"When you have crowds this big, criminal activities follow," Mullin said in a video accompanying the post. "ICE and HSI are going to be out there every day fighting against the counterfeit tickets, human trafficking, drug smuggling, counterfeit products."

But the crowds Mullin is expecting may be smaller than anticipated.

A new report from the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) found that bookings are well below expectations in nearly every World Cup host city, warning that "the anticipated economic lift may fall short." The AHLA represents more than 32,000 properties and over 80% of all franchised hotels in the US.

The association blamed FIFA for block-booking massive numbers of rooms — manufacturing artificial demand — only to cancel up to 70% of those reservations in cities including Boston, Dallas, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, and Seattle. FIFA rejected the accusations, saying all room releases were conducted in line with contractual agreements.

High ticket prices, transportation costs, and the broader political climate have also kept international fans away, according to hotels. A study commissioned by FIFA had projected the tournament would generate $17.2 billion in U.S. GDP and create 185,000 jobs.

The World Cup runs from June 11 to July 19. The AHLA said it expects bookings to strengthen in the coming weeks, but acknowledged the window is closing fast.