The Brief

The head of Immigration and Customs Enforcement this week addressed growing questions about the presence of ICE agents during World Cup games hosted in Los Angeles and other U.S. cities this summer.

Todd Lyons, the agency's head, said at a congressional hearing that ICE will play a key role in security for the tournament. But he said it would be ICE’s investigatory branch — not it's enforcement division.

The answer did not satisfy Congressmember Nellie Pou (D-NJ) of New Jersey. Pou asked Lyons to publicly commit to ICE pausing operations at FIFA matches and related public events.

"You realize that if they feel that they're going to be wrongfully incarcerated or wrongfully pulled out," Pou said of potential World Cup visitors. "That's going to hurt this entire process."

Lyons responded: "ICE is dedicated to ensuring that everyone that visits the facilities will have a safe and secure event."

Why it matters

The exchange laid bare growing concerns from some lawmakers and community groups about the combination of millions of international visitors coming to the soccer spectacle and aggressive immigration enforcement in L.A. and other host cities.

Kathryn Schloessman, L.A. host committee head, called the matter "above my pay grade" when asked to address concerns about potential ICE activity at FIFA's fan festival, which is scheduled for June 11 to 15.

" We are working very closely with our public safety and security partners," Schloessman told LAist. "That's their job to make sure we're delivering a safe and secure event."

It also underscores the lack of human rights action plans that every host city committee is supposed to release ahead of the games. Those plans should outline how the host city is planning to protect freedom of expression and handle security and workers' rights.

The lack of public plans, less than five month out, has some critics ringing an alarm.

" It's a very poor report card on turning in your homework for Los Angeles and all other host cities," said Minky Worden with Human Rights Watch.

FIFA declined to comment on the status of the local reports. A spokesperson for the Los Angeles World Cup 2026 Host Committee said that the L.A. action plan is under review with community stakeholders.

What we know about World Cup security

The World Cup will be staged across Mexico, Canada and eleven U.S. cities including Los Angeles, where eight matches will take place at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. The tournament is expected to attract up to 7 million international visitors to the U.S., and the federal government has allocated $625 million in funding for security tied to the event.

At a briefing in December, Andrew Giuliani, the executive director for the White House's World Cup task force, told reporters that the Department of Homeland Security is "coordinating daily" with host cities on security for fan zones, stadiums and base camps — where athletes will train throughout the tournament.

Homeland Security's leading role in security for an event as massive as the World Cup is standard procedure — the department is also taking the lead for the 2028 Olympics. What's less clear is exactly the part ICE will play.

Acting Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Todd Lyons testifies during a House Homeland Security Committee hearing on Feb. 10, 2026 in Washington, DC.

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Samuel Corum

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What we know about ICE's role in security

Lyons, the ICE leader who addressed Congress this week, said it would be the agency's Homeland Security Investigations that would take on a key role. That's the department's criminal investigation unit, which is separate from its "Enforcement and Removal Operations" branch that has been conducting escalated immigration sweeps across Los Angeles — and the nation — since June.

That said, the federal government has not promised that immigration enforcement will stay away from the tournament.

“International visitors who legally come to the United States for the World Cup have nothing to worry about," Tricia McLaughlin, Homeland Security spokesperson, told the Athletic. "What makes someone a target for immigration enforcement is whether or not they are illegally in the U.S. — full stop.”

DHS did not respond to LAist's requests for more information on the role ICE specifically will play in World Cup security.

Human rights concerns

These open questions and the ongoing immigration raids have alarmed human rights advocates. A group of leading advocacy organizations in December called on FIFA and local host cities to commit to "ensuring effective protections against racial profiling, arbitrary detention, and unlawful immigration enforcement during the tournament."

Jamil Dakwar, the ACLU's human rights director, pointed to the deployment of the National Guard in cities including Los Angeles last year.

“The Trump administration has aggressively pursued a systematic anti-human rights campaign to target, detain, and disappear immigrants in communities across the US," he said in a statement. "We call on FIFA to honor its human rights commitments, not capitulate to Trump’s authoritarianism.”

FIFA put out a Human Rights framework for the coming World Cup in 2024. That guide, outlining a focus on inclusivity, workers rights, and a grievance procedure for human rights concerns, is intended to be a structure for each host city's own human rights action plan.

Details about the games in L.A.

L.A. will be the first U.S. city to host a World Cup match. The U.S. Men's National Team will play its first game at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood on June 12, with a 6 p.m. kickoff.

A fan festival at L.A. Memorial Coliseum June 11 to 15 is expected to attract huge crowds of revelers.

California filed a lawsuit this week challenging the U.S. Department of Education’s threat to withhold funding over the state’s policy on gender identity disclosure.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta asked the Northern District of California Court on Wednesday for a temporary restraining order against “an unconstitutional attempt to impose new conditions on $4.9 billion in federal education funding,” according to a statement from Bonta’s office.

“We will not stand by as U.S. ED uses baseless claims to attack crucial education funding,” Bonta said. “We will continue to fight to protect California’s schools and students from unfair attacks and work to ensure a discrimination-free educational environment for all students.”

At issue is whether school staff should notify parents if they believe their child may be transgender or gender-nonconforming. California and LGBTQ+ advocates contend that policies requiring parental notification may forcibly “out” transgender students to their parents against their will. But the Trump administration and conservatives have portrayed the state’s stance as an attack on parents’ rights.

“Parents are the most natural protectors of their children. Yet many states and school districts have enacted policies that imply students need protection from their parents,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon in a statement on Jan. 28.

Last month, McMahon claimed its investigation found that the California Department of Education “abused its authority by pressuring school officials to withhold information about students’ so-called ‘gender transitions’ from their parents.”

Assembly Bill 1955, a 2024 state law, prohibits school boards from passing resolutions that require teachers and school staff to notify parents if they believe a child is transgender or gender-nonconforming. It was passed in the wake of decisions by several school boards to require that parents be notified. In one high-profile incident, State Superintendent Tony Thurmond was ousted from a school board meeting in Chino Valley for speaking against a parental notification policy that the board later passed.

Last March, the U.S. Department of Education’s Student Privacy Policy Office opened an investigation into whether the California Department of Education’s policies violated federal privacy laws. That includes the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, known as FERPA, which grants parents the right to request and review their children’s educational records until they turn 18.

The investigation found that California “put districts in a position of having to choose between complying with FERPA or getting sued by the State.” The investigation report noted that CDE “coerces school districts to withhold information about students’ gender identity.”

Bonta disputes this interpretation of FERPA, stating that the law only requires disclosure of education records, not general information. The lawsuit states that CDE has issued guidance to districts clarifying that parents have the right to request their children’s education records under FERPA, even if those records contain information about a student’s sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression.

The suit states that the Trump administration has “failed to demonstrate even a single violation of FERPA” and that the focus on the investigation appears to be “motivated by discriminatory animus against transgender people, including transgender students.”

“This is a flagrant attempt by the U.S. Department of Education to intimidate the California Department of Education and California’s local education agencies under the guise of enforcing FERPA,” said Bonta in a statement.

The CDE released guidance regarding FERPA on Wednesday in a letter to public school agencies. It outlines the exceptions to what is included in education records, including personal staff notes, law enforcement records, employee records and records by medical or mental health professionals for students at least 18 years old.

This isn’t the only legal battle California is involved in regarding parental notification. Two Escondido Union School District teachers filed a lawsuit in 2023, claiming that state and district policies preventing the “outing” of transgender students violated their constitutional free speech and religious rights. Last month, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit blocked the order from a federal judge who sided with the teachers. Plaintiffs asked the U.S. Supreme Court to reinstate the federal judge’s ruling.

This story was originally published by The LA Local on Feb. 11, 2026.

The longtime home of Papa Cristo’s in Pico Union could be demolished to make way for a self-storage facility, across the street from another storage facility.

The Greek market and restaurant closed its doors last year, after seven decades in the neighborhood. Now a Redondo Beach-based developer, who are in escrow over the property, said if they are able to move ahead with their project they would honor Papa Cristo’s in some capacity.

During a community meeting on Tuesday, some in the neighborhood were tepid about the proposal.

“I think everybody would like to see housing. It’s an important need,” said Stephen Post, manager of the Byzantine Latino Quarter Pico Business Improvement District. “I think there’s only so much the community can do to direct what they’d like to see. I’m glad that they want to include Papa Cristo’s. I know it’s been a staple in this community.”

An undated photo of Papa Cristo’s in Pico Union after the business closed its doors after more than seven decades in the community.

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The self-storage proposal would include a ground-floor retail space that could accommodate a scaled-down Papa Cristo’s presence if the family chooses to return to the restaurant business, but they have not spoken to the developers yet.

Brian Sorenson from La Tierra Consulting, who would lead development behind the project, said the space could also be used by the community.

Sorenson maintains the neighborhood is “heavily underserved” when it comes to storage. The area already has more than a handful of similar storage businesses, including one directly across the street from the proposed site on Pico Boulevard.

“Obviously, there’s already a storage facility a few blocks down on Pico, so from a competition standpoint, it will hopefully bring storage prices down for individuals in the area,” Post said.

Representatives for La Tierra Consulting said that storage costs would be market rate.

Still, La Tierra Consulting have presented their plans for the site to multiple community groups, like the Pico Union neighborhood council, and on Tuesday at the Byzantine Latino Quarter Pico Business Improvement District to get feedback on the project.

Other uses were considered for the site, including retail and industrial use, but none were as viable, the developers said.

Residential development would also be difficult on the relatively small lot because of parking requirements and high land costs, according to Post.

Last year, when Papa Cristo’s announced they would close their doors, the property was listed for sale on LoopNet for $5.2 million, according to Eater LA.

Papa Cristo’s was beloved in the community, in large part because of owner Chrys Chrys’s larger-than-life personality.

The restaurant also became famous for its rack of lamb, kebabs, and other classic Greek dishes.

At minimum, Sorenson said, the project would feature plaques, murals, or other public art honoring Papa Cristo’s legacy, and possible subsidized space for community groups.

Three design concepts were presented to the Pico Union Neighborhood Council in January, where the developers fielded questions from the community.

The initial proposal featured a more contemporary façade that some neighbors in Pico Union felt did not reflect the character of the area. In response, the design team developed alternatives inspired by nearby landmarks, including the local high school and surrounding historic buildings.

One revised concept incorporates brick and architectural motifs that echo the high school’s scale and materials, while keeping retail at the corner to help activate the street.

Another concept draws from the Huffington at Saint Sophia, the nearby Greek Orthodox cathedral, referencing its general shape and architectural details without directly replicating the chapel.

An artist’s rendering for the former site of Papa Cristo’s market and restaurant in Pico Union. Developers have proposed converting the site into a storage facility.

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A third option embraces a “neo-industrial” look inspired by revitalized historic buildings across Los Angeles, blending industrial elements with a contemporary update.

The company went back to the Pico Union neighborhood council with all of the designs in February and there were different opinions on the designs, but ultimately the council voted 10-0 to support the project. The Byzantine Latino Quarter also voted to support the project.

Vanessa Rivera, who has been a resident of Pico Union for more than 30 years and is the president of the Byzantine Latino Quarter Pico Business Improvement District, said she does appreciate Sorenson’s company did seek community feedback.

“The fact that they have multiple designs based on community feedback is not something you see all the time,” she said. “They could have been someone that just came in and said, ‘This is our idea. We’ve already got it. We don’t care what you think,’ but they’ve come at it from a very community based perspective.”

Under all versions of the proposal, the upper floors would be dedicated to storage, with retail and potential community-serving uses on the ground level.

Customer access would be located at the rear of the property, where vehicles — including moving trucks — would enter a covered loading area built into the storage facility.

The project would also include a six-foot dedication along Pico Boulevard and Normandie Avenue to allow for wider sidewalks and potential future street improvements, along with a new bus stop.

The facility would operate during limited hours — generally from early morning to late evening — and include gated entry, keypad access, elevator controls restricted by individual codes, and 24-hour monitored security cameras.

Los Angeles Documenter, Aileen Mestas, contributed reporting for this story from the Feb. 2 Pico Union Neighborhood Council meeting. The LA Documenters program trains and pays community members to document proceedings at public meetings. Learn more about the program here.