Washington, DC – A White House committee organising the 2026 World Cup in the United States says the event will be a “global moment of unity”.

“We want to make sure that we’re as welcoming as possible,” Andrew Giuliani, the executive director of the White House Task Force on the World Cup, told reporters on Wednesday.

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But US President Donald Trump’s escalating anti-immigrant rhetoric and policies are raising concern over Washington’s promise of a welcoming tournament.

Giuliani talked up the US Department of State’s efforts to shorten wait times for interviews for visitor visas, allowing fans from across the world to come to the US during the World Cup, which Mexico and Canada will co-host.

Despite Giuliani’s assurances, he also confirmed that there will be no special World Cup exemptions for fans from 19 countries that are under a US travel ban. He also did not rule out targeting undocumented immigrants for removal around matches.

Daniel Norona, Americas advocacy director at Amnesty International USA, slammed the US administration’s approach.

“You cannot have unity if you’re promoting discrimination, if you’re promoting repression, and if you’re pushing to silence anyone who disagrees with you,” Norona told Al Jazeera.

“So I don’t think that we can call this a moment of unity if they are doing the opposite of what unity means.”

Travel ban

Two of the nations included in the travel ban – Haiti and Iran – are participating in the tournament.

Asked repeatedly about the travel restrictions, Giuliani kept reiterating that players and direct support staff from banned countries will be issued visas, but that fans may not. “Visas are a national security issue, each and every one of those there,” he said.

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But the US has already refused to issue visas for some members of the Iranian delegation to attend the World Cup group stage draw on Friday.

Giuliani also dismissed the effect of the travel ban on Haitian fans, noting that the national team’s coach, Sebastien Migne, recently said that he has never been to the Caribbean nation, which has been plagued by gang violence, humanitarian crises and natural disasters.

Trump’s ban also applies to Haitians outside Haiti. And Norona highlighted that the crackdown could affect Haitians inside the US who may want to cheer on their team as the Trump administration continues to roll back immigration protections for the country.

Norona said Trump’s policies are the “antithesis” to the World Cup, which is synonymous with openness and welcoming people from across the globe.

“We are concerned that this will create a non-welcoming and overall hostile environment for the fans and players and everybody who is involved in the World Cup,” Norona told Al Jazeera.

Giuliani did not rule out Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids targeting undocumented immigrants at World Cup venues.

The US is home to about 14 million people without regular immigration status, including many from the football-loving Latino community, who have lived in the country for years and established new lives and families.

“I’ve known the president for 25 years,” said Giuliani, who is the son of Trump’s former personal lawyer, Rudy Giuliani. “The president does not rule out anything that will help make American citizens safer.”

Norona said the immigration raids do not make anyone safe.

“They just promote a chilling effect for the rest of the fans and the rest of the football community that want to attend their games,” he said.

Trump’s ‘unique style’

It is not just undocumented immigrants who have been on the receiving end of Trump’s crackdown.

Over the past months, the administration has pushed to deport people who are in the country legally, including visitors, foreign students and permanent residents, over criticism of Israel.

In addition to targeting dozens of students who participated in Gaza solidarity protests, ICE agents arrested British commentator Sami Hamdi in October and held him for two weeks before removing him from the country for his advocacy for Palestinian human rights.

“The chilling effect here is not only on undocumented people residing in the US. The chilling effect is to anyone who might express a discontent or a disagreement with the current administration,” said Norona.

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For his part, Giuliani stressed that it is a “fictional narrative” that Trump does not want foreigners coming into the US.

“What he’s talked about is he wants to make sure that people can come into the United States legally. That way, we also can make sure the games [and] other experiences are safe and secure,” he told reporters.

On Tuesday, however, Trump had launched an anti-immigrant tirade, calling Somali people in the US “garbage”.

Al Jazeera asked Giuliani about Trump’s rhetoric and how it may clash with the message of unity that US officials are emphasising around the World Cup.

“The president has a unique style. I think it’s why he’s such an effective leader, to be perfectly honest, and I think it’s why he actually is the consummate host for this incredible World Cup that is going to be the largest in human history,” Giuliani said.

He went on to suggest that Trump’s bigoted approach was a form of honesty.

“In terms of the president’s rhetoric, he’s unique in that regard. He’s a New Yorker like me. Sometimes we say things that are a little different than polished politicians,” Giuliani said.

“But I think that’s also why he’s been able to actually really get to the hearts of so many Americans – because he is completely honest with them.”

Norona, however, said Trump’s comments send a “discriminatory” and “racist” message.

“I don’t think it’s style; it’s a deliberate choice of words,” he added. “It’s something that should be reprehensible for everyone.”

FIFA Pace Prize

Trump has been showing ample interest in the World Cup and football generally. He attended the Club World Cup final in New Jersey in July, and he has been regularly hosting FIFA president Gianni Infantino at the White House.

Last month, he welcomed Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo to a state dinner in Washington, DC, during the visit of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

The US president will also attend the tournament’s draw on Friday, when the world football governing body will present its inaugural FIFA Peace Prize.

FIFA has been facing calls to demand protection for immigrants at football matches. The organisation has also been criticised for its close ties with Trump.

During the Club World Cup, FIFA did not promote its usual antiracism messages at the tournament, a move that appeared to be in line with Trump’s opposition to diversity and inclusion programmes.

FIFA did not respond to Al Jazeera’s request for comment by the time of publication.

“FIFA’s so-called peace prize is being awarded against a backdrop of violent detentions of immigrants, national guard deployments in US cities, and the obsequious cancellation of FIFA’s own antiracism and anti-discrimination campaigns,” Minky Worden, who oversees sport for Human Rights Watch, said in a statement.

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“There is still time to honour FIFA’s promises for a World Cup not tainted by human rights abuses, but the clock is ticking.”