Gold Cup soccer match: Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum urges US to avoid immigration raids

With the Gold Cup soccer match between Mexico and the Dominican Republic scheduled this Saturday, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has urged the US not to conduct any immigration raids on the attendees of the game.

Soccer match isn't a place for immigration raids, says Mexican President

Her recent comments came in after the ICE agents recently conducted raids in Los Angeles, which resulted in multiple arrests, triggering a wave of protests in the city. The intensity of the protests increased to such a level that the White House deployed the US National Guard in the Democrat-run state to handle matters. According to a Reuters report," U.S. Customs and Border Protection, in a now-deleted post to social media, had also promised to be suited and booted at the first round of Club World Cup soccer matches, the curtain-raiser event for next year's World Cup."

"We don't believe that at any soccer match there will be any (immigration) action... we call for none to be taken by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement," Sheinbaum was quoted as saying in her morning press conference, according to Reuters.

"Mexico will always promote peace," Sheinbaum added, while addressing the fact that Mexican nationals in the US are hardworking individuals who do not wish to incite any kind of violence in the country. The Mexican President also dismissed some social media images being circulated that show some protestors holding Mexican flags in Los Angeles. According to her, these were merely “provocations.”

She also stated that Mexican consulates in the United States are already gearing up with protocols to assist Mexican nationals, if US federal agents detain them during Saturday's match at SoFi Stadium.

“Mexico will play its next two CONCACAF Gold Cup group stage matches in Arlington, Texas, and Las Vegas, Nevada. The tournament also features Central American countries with sizable migrant populations in the United States,” reads the Reuters report.