During a recent Vancouver City Council meeting, a proposed motion aimed at opposing the deployment of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents during the FIFA World Cup was declared out of order by the chair, Mike Klassen. He pointed out that there is no official indication that ICE will be sending agents to Vancouver for the event. Despite attempts from council members to overturn the ruling, the challenge was voted down by a narrow margin, confirming the chair’s decision to dismiss the motion.

The motivation behind the proposed opposition stemmed from previous incidents, notably when ICE agents were deployed to the Milan Winter Olympic Games. Green councillor Pete Fry and COPE councillor Sean Orr initiated the proposal out of concern for similar actions potentially occurring during significant events in Vancouver. Mayor Ken Sim, however, emphasized his administration's firm stance against such deployments, issuing a statement that ICE is neither invited nor welcomed, reaffirming the legal grounds that prohibit foreign law enforcement from conducting operations on Canadian soil without specific authorization.

This ruling highlights the broader context of international law enforcement relations and the sovereignty concerns regarding foreign agencies operating in Canada. The City Council's response reflects an effort to maintain local autonomy and protect residents from potential overreach by foreign law enforcement, particularly during a globally watched event like the FIFA World Cup, where security become a heightened topic of discussion.