Atlanta police won’t work with ICE during World Cup, chief says
Atlanta’s police chief said his department will not work with federal immigration officials to arrest or detain undocumented immigrants during the upcoming World Cup.
And Chief Darin Schierbaum also said Tuesday that nobody will be arrested “just for being homeless” when the games come to town starting June 15.
Instead, Schierbaum said Atlanta police are focused solely on enforcing state laws and city ordinances and keeping the peace during the six-week event.
“Our focus with the federal government has been counterterrorism, gangs operating in the space, guns being illegally used and drugs being dealt in our city,” he said.
Atlanta’s police and fire chiefs said their respective departments have been preparing for years for this summer’s matches and are ready for whatever may happen when the city welcomes an estimated 300,000 visitors starting next month.
The fire department has budgeted $18 million for overtime pay and the police department has budgeted $24 million. That money will be reimbursed by the federal government after the World Cup, officials said.
Police officers are working 12-hour shifts, and up to 250 additional officers are being brought in from across the state to help during the games, Deputy Chief Charles Hampton said.
As for the fire department, Atlanta Fire Rescue Chief Rod Smith said his department is no stranger to hosting major events.
“You will see us fully staffed on a daily basis,” Smith said. “If you call us, we’re coming.”
Officer Miguel Lugo, APD’s Hispanic liaison, said the police department does not care about the immigration status of anyone who may need to report a crime. Bilingual police officers are available to whoever may need them, and the city has foreign language hotlines available to help translate emergency calls.
The department does not have “any role in immigration enforcement,” Schierbaum said.
As it stands, there are no plans to close any streets around Mercedes-Benz Stadium or Centennial Olympic Park during the soccer matches. But Hampton said if there is a safety issue or an “influx of pedestrians” walking in the roadway, the department has the ability to temporarily shut down certain streets.
As for the city’s unhoused population, city officials say they have helped connect more than 450 homeless people with housing and other resources ahead of the international event. But authorities have also swept nearly three dozen homeless encampments since the start of the year, and how officials treat Atlanta’s homeless population has been a top concern among housing advocates.
In January 2025, Cornelius Taylor was crushed to death in Atlanta’s Sweet Auburn neighborhood when city workers bulldozed a tent while he was still inside.
Many have also said they fear a repeat of the displacement and arrests seen three decades ago when Atlanta hosted the 1996 Summer Olympics. Schierbaum said when encampments are closed, a concerted effort is made to connect the people living there with resources.
“For days, and sometimes weeks, we return to the location letting them know what the day encampment will be closed and letting them know an arrest could occur after that point,” Schierbaum said. “Before an arrest can be made, there has to be probable cause.
“You can’t be arrested just for being homeless.”
Schierbaum said keeping fans and residents safe is a group effort, and he urged anyone who sees anything suspicious to alert law enforcement as soon as possible.
He referenced the Centennial Olympic Park bombing of 1996 and warned that “terrorism can happen at any time.”
“You got to remember — 30 years ago, Eric Rudolph bombed the Olympics here in Atlanta, Georgia, and he did it by placing a bomb in a backpack under a bench.”
He said APD is in “constant communication” with the FBI but needs Atlantans and visitors to remain vigilant.
About the Authors
Andre Butso is a 23-year-old breaking news reporter for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
