President Donald Trump in April issued an executive order warning local jurisdictions that they could lose federal funds if they enforce sanctuary policies for undocumented immigrants.
Yet Congress allocated $625 million for security at next year’s World Cup games in 11 U.S. cities, including five that appear on the administration’s list of sanctuary cities that the Justice Department released last week.
Those include Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Philadelphia and Boston — which are going to host a combined 28 World Cup matches next year. New York City, which will be sending NYPD officers to the MetLife Stadium games including the World Cup final, is also on the list of sanctuary cities.
Trump has taken a significant interest in hosting major international events like the World Cup, and, in an illustration of how important the host role is to him, he has signed off on security funding even when it clashes with his stance against sanctuary cities.
That conflict is likely to surface again as the White House plans for America’s 250th birthday and the 2028 Olympics in LA, both of which Trump frequently mentions publicly.
Andrew Giuliani, White House 2026 FIFA Taskforce head, in a sit-down interview with West Wing Playbook at the Department of Homeland Security, is making clear that the money is for local law enforcement for things like police overtime and security equipment for the World Cup.
“This is not going to be a slush fund that a leftist politician can use for whatever they'd like. This is going to be for our local law enforcement. It passed through Congress clear, cut and dry,” said Giuliani, adding that the taskforce plans to present to the host committees a plan for how they can submit receipts for reimbursement. “We are making sure that we trust but verify.”
He emphasized that the money is not going directly to cities and states; it’s going to the host committee — private entities — that will then settle the bill with local officials.
“Because so much of it is going to come down to the state and local resources when you're talking about 78 teams over the course of 39 days — and we only have so many federal resources — that’s why there is the $625 million through the Big Beautiful Bill,” he said.
Giuliani, who sees his role as helping to ensure the tournament is safe and secure, has visited and held security meetings with eight of the 11 host cities.
“We're here to make sure that that intelligence sharing is happening from the federal government to the state and locals and across the state and locals as necessary, and also that we're plugging gaps where needed, whether it's potentially with canine teams or counter” unmanned aerial systems such as drones, Giuliani said.
The FIFA Taskforce views the Club World Cup this summer as an important opportunity to develop relationships with the local police commissioners and local elected leaders ahead of the nation’s semiquincentennial next year.
“Between our state, our locals, and then us, we are going to be stressed to the max next year, between June 11 on kickoff to July 19,” Giuliani said. “Because not just FIFA, it's America 250 and July 4th.”
The White House declined to comment.
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