SAN FRANCISCO – Despite repeated assurances from the NFL and federal, and local leaders that there will be no ICE presence in and around theSuper Bowl, Gabby Chavez-Lopez simply isn't buying it.
"Can you really blame us?" saidChavez-Lopez, executive director of the Latina Coalition of Silicon Valley, a nonprofit based in San Jose, California, a city that has seen its share of immigration enforcement operations. She won't take them at their word, she said: "Not with this presidential administration, and not with ICE in particular."
Neither willMusa Tariq, a policy coordinator for the San Francisco Bay Area Council on American-Islamic Relations. "Oh, there's definitely some anxiety and uneasiness. We don't trust any federal agency that doesn't respect its own country's Constitution and the laws that come with it."
ICE protestors in Los Angeles marched from city hall to the federal detention center before clashing with agents in the evening on Jan. 30, 2026, forcing LAPD to issue a dispersal order. The rally was part of the "ICE Out of Everywhere" movement and a nationwide Jan. 30 shutdown in response to the fatal shootings of Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Protesters rally against ICE in Los Angeles, clash with federal agents
ICE protestors in Los Angelesmarched from city hall to the federal detention center before clashing with agents in the evening on Jan. 30, 2026, forcing LAPD to issue a dispersal order. The rally was part of the "ICE Out of Everywhere" movement and a nationwide Jan. 30 shutdown in response to the fatal shootings of Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis.
Their concerns come as a coalition of community organizations across the Bay Area holdsrallies, marches, and protestsduring Super Bowl week, fearing that the Big Game's heavy security presence andprevious mixed messagingfrom federal officials could also bring heightened enforcement by ICE and the Department of Homeland Security while the sports world is watching.
Both Chavez-Lopez and Tariq attended a vibrant noontime rally and march at San Jose's Cesar Chavez Plaza on Feb 2, with the city's downtown convention center, the site of Super Bowl LX's opening night festivities, in the backdrop. They saw speaker after speaker send a declarative message: "ICE out of the Bay."
"I think we have to be ready for all scenarios," said Chavez-Lopez, about ICE's presence. "I hope they don't come, because we'll show them that we're not the communities to really mess with. We've demonstrated that time and time again, and this time won't be any different."
No ICE at Super Bowl:NFL says no ICE operations planned for Super Bowl 60
'Hoping for the best, preparing for the worst'
Officials nevertheless appeared resolute in their commitment. During a Feb. 3 press conference in San Francisco, NFL Chief Security Officer Cathy Lanier repeatedly uttered various versions of the same message when peppered with questions.
"There are no planned ICE or immigration enforcement operations that are scheduled around the Super Bowl or any of the Super Bowl-related events," Lanier said, adding that Homeland Security, which consists of more than 20 different departments, plans to have security officials from numerous agencies at the Super Bowl, but she stressed theU.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, more commonly known as ICE, would not be among them.
Department of Homeland Security agent Jeffrey Brannigan, who is coordinating security efforts among the various law enforcement agencies, reinforced Lanier's statements in response to similar ICE-related questions from reporters.
The questions come amid the ongoing aggressive immigration enforcement and civilunrest in Minneapolis, which led to the fatal shooting last month of two U.S. citizens,Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti, by federal immigration officers. Their killings contributed to apartial government shutdownas some lawmakers want more accountability for the actions of ICE and Customs and Border Patrol agents. Community members are also wary after seeingPresident Donald Trump's contentious deportation campaigns inLos Angelesand Chicago.
Homeland Securitytraditionally oversees securityfor major sporting events, including theSuper Bowl. But some community activists said that many details about the agency's participation weren't clear or consistent about whether its role would include immigration enforcement during Super Bowl week.
San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie andSan Jose Mayor Matt Mahanalso stated there would be no immigration enforcement last week, and Otto Lee, president of the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors, made a strong, emotional declaration there would be no enforcement actions during aJan. 27 board meeting.
"Let me be absolutely clear: No one is above the law, there is no such thing as absolute immunity, and there is no license to kill," said Lee during the meeting about ICE. "If anyone comes into our county masked, spreading terror, breaking laws, or threatening our residents, they will be arrested by our sheriff deputies and police officers."
Two days later, Santa Clara County Sheriff Bob Jonsen said during anews conferencealso attended by House Representatives Zoe Lofgren and Sam Liccardo, that there still had been no communication to local authorities about whether there would be immigration enforcement, causing some anxiety within local communities.
Now, nearly a week later, diverse, immigrant-rich cities, including San Francisco and Silicon Valley hotspots San Jose and Santa Clara, the site of the Super Bowl, are still on edge, prompting weeklong demonstrations, according to Tariq, from the Council on American-Islamic Relations.
"Some of our concerns involve whether federal agents will seize this moment to do expanded raids, militarize their presence, use intimidation and enact violence, at our workplaces, in our schools," Tariq said. "That's why we're hoping for the best, and preparing for the worst."
Many community members would like to participate in Super Bowl-related activities but are too scared to do so, and their fears may continue when World Cup matches also come to the Bay Area in June, said Mariam Arif, spokesperson for theServices, Immigrant Rights and Education Network(SIREN) of Santa Clara County.
"It's hard for some people to take that risk, especially those with families and children," Arif said. "That's what we've been seeing and hearing."
Chavez-Lopez said the Santa Clara CountyRapid Response Network, a collective of 10 nonprofits that documents ICE activity, sends alerts to the community and provides free emergency legal support for immigrants, has been training dozens of new volunteers in preparation for anticipated enforcement for the Super Bowl.
"Everyone is just banding together, doing their parts, and making sure they are represented and have our voices heard," Chavez-Lopez said. "We won't be silenced.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:'No ICE at Super Bowl' promise isn't convincing Bay Area locals
