Toronto’s city leaders are urging Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents to steer clear of their city, even though, technically, ICE has never carried out immigration enforcement in Canada and has no plans to do so. On Thursday, Mayor Olivia Chow successfully presented a motion to the City Council opposing ICE’s presence in Toronto, particularly ahead of the FIFA World Cup matches. This vote took place shortly after the U.S. Consulate General in Toronto confirmed that ICE has no intention of enforcing immigration laws in Canada.
Chow expressed her views in an interview, emphasizing that “ICE has no place in this city.” She highlighted that the World Cup represents inclusivity, stating, “Toronto welcomes thousands of families. Everyone is welcome.” She added a direct plea to ICE: “So Mr. ICE, please stay out. We don’t need you here.” Despite the clarity of the motion, Chow’s office did not comment further.
The City Council showed near unanimous support for the motion, which included directives against ICE’s involvement in the city as well as instructions for local officials to refrain from assisting ICE. Only one council member opposed it. The 2026 FIFA World Cup will take place this summer across the U.S., Mexico, and Canada, and it is a significant event on a global scale.
Interestingly, the motion also referenced that “ICE is known to operate beyond the borders of the United States, including at times within Canada.” Deputy Mayor Paul Ainslie, who supported Chow’s motion, criticized ICE’s presence in major Canadian cities, noting that according to ICE’s own website, they have offices in five cities across Canada. However, experts mentioned that these offices do not have the authority to enforce immigration laws.
While ICE technically has offices in Toronto and other cities, those are associated with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), which operates under the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). HSI collaborates with Canadian law enforcement to combat transnational crime, but not immigration enforcement. An ICE spokesperson reiterated that Canadian HSI personnel do not conduct any immigration enforcement actions within Canada.
Before the vote, U.S. Consul General Baxter Hunt clarified that the DHS never planned to expand ICE’s activities into Canada for the World Cup. His letter also noted significant cooperative efforts between HSI and Canadian authorities, including successes in drug trafficking and the rescue of exploited children.
When asked if HSI could overlap with immigration issues, Deputy Mayor Ainslie maintained a strong stance against their presence, stating, “We completely object to them even existing on Canadian soil.”
