Vice President JD Vance was soundly criticized after he made a deportation joke while remarking how the 2026 World Cup will see visitors "from close to 100 countries" enter the U.S.
The moment occurred during an announcement naming Andrew Giuliani—son of former Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani—as the head of a new task force for the 2026 World Cup, which is set to be hosted jointly by the United States, Canada, and Mexico next year.
Vance joked that those who violate the terms of their visas will "have to talk to" Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem:
“We’ll have visitors from close to 100 countries. We want them to come, we want them to celebrate, we want them to watch the game. But when the time is up, they’ll have to go home, otherwise they’ll have to talk to Secretary Noem.”
You can hear what Vance said in the video below.
Vance's remarks sparked anger online.
Vance's comments went viral as the U.S. faces criticism for planning to deport migrants without legal status to Libya, which is now effectively divided into two parts, each governed by different factions.
Libyan officials from both rival governments have denied engaging in negotiations with the U.S. about accepting deportees, according to Reuters. The denials come amid reports that the Trump administration is exploring deportation agreements with several African nations—including Libya, Benin, Angola, Eswatini, and Rwanda—despite their troubling human rights records.
A U.S. official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed the interest in Libya just days after Rwanda acknowledged ongoing discussions. In response, immigration lawyers filed an emergency motion Wednesday with a federal judge in Boston to halt any imminent removals, citing "alarming reports" that deportations could occur within hours.
The motion argues that clients from countries like Laos, Vietnam, and the Philippines could be sent to nations with no formal agreements and few legal protections, raising serious concerns about their safety.
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