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Toronto’s mayor recently faced ridicule after releasing a video message declaring that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents would not be welcome in the city during the FIFA World Cup.
Olivia Chow shared her stance on social media last Thursday, stating that she would not be welcoming ICE during June and July, the months when Toronto is set to host six World Cup matches.
“ICE has no place in this city,” Chow expressed in the video. “Toronto is about to welcome thousands of families for the FIFA World Cup, where everyone belongs, and everyone’s welcome.”
“So, stay out, ICE. We do not need you here,” she added.
While ICE operations in Canada are limited, the agency’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) unit does maintain offices at the U.S. embassy and consulates in Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, Montreal, and Ottawa.
Despite this, Chow’s video drew swift criticism, with many labeling her comments as “performative” and questioning her awareness of Canada’s jurisdictional boundaries.
‘This performative nonsense is so fake,’ one X user wrote. ‘ICE is a domestic law enforcement agency of the United States, they’re never coming to Canada.’
‘She knows she’s in Canada, right?’ another questioned.
Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow posted a video saying ICE would not be welcome in her city during the six FIFA World Cup games there this summer
‘Doesn’t she know which country she lives in?’ another agreed.
‘Uhhhh…. Why would they come to a foreign country…. more fearmongering I see,’ a third wrote.
ICE agents do not have the ability to detain normal Canadian citizens north of the border, but they can detain terrorists or those planning on committing crimes against the US. They also assist in investigations.
The federal agency has not made any announcements about sending agents to Toronto games, but Homeland Security (DHS) had previously caused uproar after announcing it would send a security unit to the Winter Olympics in Italy.
ICE did not run any immigration enforcement operations while in Italy, but acted in a supporting role as diplomatic security details.
Chow has made further actions to stop any ICE involvement in the FIFA World Cup by introducing a motion asking the Federal Minister of Public Safety and the Minister of Foreign Affairs to ‘reject any US Immigration and Customs Enforcement deployment to Toronto.’
The motion was passed 21-4, with one member absent.
Chow previously said ICE brings ‘fear and disorder, not safety and security,’ referencing the protests in Minneapolis, where Renee Good and Alex Pretti were shot dead by agents.
Chow previously said ICE brings ‘fear and disorder, not safety and security,’ referencing their work in Minneapolis
ICE’s investigations unit does operate in Canada in five cities, including Toronto. However, agents do not have the jurisdiction to detain normal Canadian citizens
HSI operates in 50 countries across 93 offices, DHS said.
‘HSI special agents conduct criminal investigations to protect the United States from dangerous transnational organizations, like terrorist groups and drug cartels,’ a spokesperson told CBC.
‘These skilled and highly trained special agents focus on a wide variety of serious crimes, like drug trafficking, child exploitation, weapons smuggling, human smuggling, financial fraud, and more.’
In Ottawa, HSI has assisted several investigations in the Great White North, including a case in October where 20 people were given 700 charges for drugs and firearms.
