Marines | Pakistan

US cities hosting next year’s FIFA World Cup faced questions on Wednesday about how to reassure international fans concerned by President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown and travel ban as the year-to-go countdown began. The United States, along with Canada and Mexico, is set to co-host the finals, which will feature 48 teams and a record 104 matches in a tournament that FIFA boss Gianni Infantino said would usher in a new generation of football fans. Celebrities and football stars were due to walk the red carpet at the Fox Studio Lot in Los Angeles — one of the host cities — for the year-to-go event there, a day after President Trump deployed Marines and the National Guard to quell protests. California Governor Gavin Newsom described the deployment as an “unmistakable step toward authoritarianism”, while Trump officials defended it and branded the protests as lawless, blaming local and state Democrats for permitting upheaval. Los Angeles is one of several host cities that will mark the year-to-go occasio...

The Trump administration on Monday ordered US Marines into Los Angeles and intensified raids on suspected undocumented immigrants, fueling more outrage from street protesters and Democratic leaders who raised concerns over a national crisis. Some 700 Marines based in Southern California were expected to reach Los Angeles Monday night or Tuesday morning, officials said, as part of a federal strategy to quell street demonstrations opposing the immigration raids, which are a part of a signature effort of President Donald Trump’s second term. Although their mission to protect federal personnel and property is temporary — filling the gaps until a full contingent of 4,000 National Guard troops can reach Los Angeles — the deployment is an extraordinary use of military force in support of a police operation, and it comes over the objection of state and local leaders who did not request help. Meanwhile, US Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem pledged to carry out even more operations to round up suspected immigrati...