[Picture chosen because “they have their backs to us”.] Oh, my. This does not bode well for the upcoming World Cup. If a *team* is pulling out of a *visit*. What the hell is going to happen this summer? Gnome is already spouting off about visitors needing to carry their papers at all times. People have been turned around in airports. Others have disappeared into the bowels of ICE holding facilities. This team really laid it all out, and given how much worse it’s been getting with ICE and airports, they may very well need to cancel. That’s a shame. Welcome to the United States. No, go home. We don’t want you to come in after all. With appreciation to Raw Story:
German soccer powerhouse Werder Bremen is pulling the plug on its summer trip to Minnesota, citing violence and chaos stemming from the Trump administration’s aggressive immigration crackdown. “Playing in a city where there’s unrest, and people have been shot, that does not fit with our values here at Werder Bremen,” Christoph Pieper, the club’s head of communications, told Politico in a Friday statement.
“Furthermore, it was unclear for us which players could be able to enter the United States due to the stricter entry requirements.” The cancellation comes amid President Donald Trump’s Operation Metro Surge, which deployed roughly 3,000 federal immigration agents to Minneapolis beginning in December. The enforcement push turned deadly, with agents killing two protesters in separate incidents last month.
Smart folks. Smart to stay out of here. When you can be dragged off at any moment for anything, even for having an accent, well, the trip won’t be fun. It would be one long worry. US citizens are getting grabbed. Everyone, except for probably white males, is in danger now because of ICE. No wonder people, including me, are afraid to go out, because you might not come home. Is that a way to live?
Though White House border czar Tom Homan announced the surge’s end last week, Minneapolis city leaders reported a financial impact of more than $200 million. The four-time German champions have cultivated a progressive image, famously abandoning X for Bluesky in 2024 over “hate speech, hatred towards minorities, right-wing extremist posts and conspiracy theories.”
Hah. Last we knew, there were still 3000 ICE Agents in Minnesota. There’s been no drawdown, as we expected. They’re in the state, and probably roaming in bigger packs because they’re afraid of protestors now. (And well they should be.) But since they’re still there, it’s an even bigger “snowball’s chance in hell” for the guys to come visit. Pity. Hello, USA, you lose. *sigh* Days go by, and the downhill slide continues. I am an American, and Donald Trump does not speak for me.
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Earlier last year, I saw a report where 2 German teen girls were held in detention until their government intervened. They were backpacking in Hawaii when they were detained. I don’t remember the details, it may have been at the airport, when they arrived. From what I can tell, the reason was because they didn’t have luggage. So, you are right in thinking we all need to be afraid or at least careful. I personally refuse to live in fear, have always felt that way. At the same time, it’s smart to be careful.
Well, the worry is only part of why I don’t like going out right now. But I am *always* carrying my phone out when I go anywhere. I’ll have to drop the cane if I need to film anything. There are other reasons, too.
i hadn’t even cocsidered that there are a lot players from africa and central and south america who might not even be let into the country.
I had assumed that since Krispi started her nonsense. It would be one heluva thing if the *players* weren’t allowed in and therefore couldn’t play. It’s going to piss off a lot of people and that would be disastrous.