Vancouver Council Rejects Motion to Ban ICE Agents During FIFA World Cup
Vancouver City Councillor Pete Fry's attempt to demonstrate the city's values through a largely symbolic ban on ICE agents during this summer's FIFA World Cup has been decisively rejected. The motion, which sought to prevent the controversial branch of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security from involvement in tournament security operations, was ruled out of order during a council meeting on Wednesday.
Motion Ruled Out of Order After Party-Line Vote
Fry, along with fellow Councillor Sean Orr, had proposed keeping ICE officials away from FIFA security operations during the upcoming soccer tournament. However, meeting chairman Mike Klassen declared the motion out of order, and a subsequent challenge to this ruling failed in a 5-4 vote that followed strict party lines. All five members of the ABC party voted against Fry, Orr, and two other councillors who supported the motion.
"It didn't totally surprise me," Fry commented on Wednesday afternoon. "It was somewhat disappointing because I think it missed some of the nuance of the intent of the motion, which was to send a pretty clear signal. And I think the grounds under which it was ruled out of order was, in fact, inaccurate."
Symbolic Gesture Would Have Required Mayor's Action
Had the motion passed, it would not have been legally binding but would have required Mayor Ken Sim to formally request that the federal government prevent additional ICE officials from being deployed to Vancouver during the World Cup. The motion represented a symbolic gesture aimed at aligning the city's actions with its stated values regarding immigration enforcement.
On Monday, Mayor Sim issued a news release stating there was no indication that ICE planned to send additional officers to Vancouver and that existing ICE personnel were not authorized to conduct enforcement duties in the city. Fry acknowledged that this announcement likely foreshadowed the motion's failure.
"It was in the back of my mind when the mayor had put out a press release," Fry explained. "This is a classic sort of move that I've come to expect from the Mayor's office to try and own things. We see this all the time with non-ABC councillor member motions where they'll figure out a way to strike and replace it."
ICE Presence in Canadian Cities
ICE currently maintains officers at U.S. consulates in Vancouver, Calgary, Montreal, and Toronto, as well as at the U.S. Embassy in Ottawa. These personnel work for ICE's investigations branch, which focuses on preventing international crime before it reaches American soil. Their operations involve collaboration with Canadian law enforcement agencies, primarily sharing intelligence related to human trafficking, drug trafficking, financial fraud, and weapons dealing.
Notably, these ICE officers do not carry firearms and do not participate in arrests within Canada. Their role is strictly limited to information sharing and investigative support in coordination with Canadian authorities.
Broader Context and Implications
The failed motion leaves open the possibility that Vancouver could follow a similar path to what occurred during recent Olympic Games, where ICE presence was increased for major international sporting events. Fry expressed concern that without this motion, there would be no formal request to the federal government regarding ICE operations during the World Cup.
"At this point, with the direction that we've seen the mayor give, there will be no overture to the federal government," Fry stated. "There will be no information sharing that says City of Vancouver is strong advocates against the federal government granting permission for ICE to operate in our city. ICE cannot unilaterally deploy enforcement officers in the city of Vancouver, but we can request from the federal government to do so, and that was the entire gist of this motion, which was currently lost on Coun. Brian Montague and others."
The debate reflects ongoing tensions between symbolic political gestures and practical security considerations as Vancouver prepares to host World Cup matches. The city now moves forward with its tournament preparations without the proposed restriction on ICE involvement, maintaining existing protocols for international law enforcement cooperation during major events.
