By CARLOS RODRIGUEZ
MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum urged U.S. officials on Friday not to target individuals attending a Gold Cup soccer match in Los Angeles between the Mexican national team and the Dominican Republic.
Dozens of workers have been detained by federal immigration authorities in a series of raids in LA’s fashion district and at Home Depot parking lots in Southern California. More than 100 people have been detained.
“We don’t believe that there will be any raids if there’s a soccer game,” Sheinbaum said in a news conference. “We hope there won’t be any. We call for no action from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.”
Mexico is scheduled to play the Dominican Republic on Saturday night at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, in a group stage match of the Gold Cup.
Usually, the Mexican national team matches attract thousands of fans whenever they play in Southern California. Their last match there was in March, when more than 50,000 fans attended a League of Nations semifinal against Canada.
In the most recent measure in the administration’s immigration crackdown, President Donald Trump deployed National Guard troops and Marines to the Los Angeles area after the raids sparked days of tumultuous protests throughout the city. The city’s downtown has seen a variety of protests, from quiet to boisterous. Over the weekend, protesters blocked a key freeway and set cars on fire.
For safety concerns, the Mexican national team decided to change hotels earlier in the week and moved from downtown to Long Beach.
Sheinbaum also said that the Mexican consulates in the United States have implemented an information campaign guide for Mexicans in the event of unjust detention by immigration authorities.
“This campaign we are carrying out through the consulates will provide all the information on what to do if detained, as well as ongoing contact with families,” the Sheinbaum said.
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