A federal immigration agent arrived Wednesday night at an exclusive World Cup party on Biscayne Bay attended by Miami-Dade County’s mayor, who is calling the incident “deeply troubling” and a potential warning sign that international soccer fans won’t feel safe traveling to Miami next year for the global soccer matches.
“This should not have happened,” Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, a second-term Democrat, said in a statement Thursday. “Ensuring that all community members feel safe and included is crucial to maintaining our county’s reputation as a welcoming destination for both residents and visitors.”
The floating soiree, which was put on by Telemundo to celebrate the 2026 World Cup games being a year away, ended early after a Coast Guard boat conducted what an agency spokesperson said was a routine inspection of the barge that was the night’s exclusive party spot. The Coast Guard spokesperson said one Customs and Border Protection agent was part of the federal team, and partygoers reported that authorities asked crew members of the party vessel, the Barefoot Princess, for identification that would prove their citizenship.
No action was taken from the inspection beyond citations for safety violations against the vessel, said Lt. Nicolina Converso, a spokesperson for the Coast Guard’s Seventh District, which includes the Southeast and the Caribbean. She did not have details on the violations.
“This was a routine boarding,” she said. “Coast Guard crews routinely board vessels to ensure compliance with federal laws and regulations.”
In a later interview, Coast Guard spokesperson Chief Petty Officer Nicole Groll emphasized that the Coast Guard’s purpose for the vessel boarding was a safety check. “This had nothing to do with the event that was happening onboard,” she said. “This had everything to do with the operations and safety of the people onboard. And to make sure the business that was this boat was operating legally and safely.”
Groll said the vessel in question was boarded earlier in the year and that safety issues were found then.
She also said that it’s standard procedure for the Coast Guard to run background checks on the professional crew operating a commercial vessel and ask for identification for all crew members. “They were talking to the captain and the crew,” she said. “It’s the same as if you get pulled over by a police officer.”
Asked if federal agents asked crew members about their citizenship, Groll said she couldn’t say for sure. “I can’t say which words were said,” she told the Miami Herald. “This was not a targeted immigration thing.”
Telemundo, a Spanish-language network that broadcasts World Cup games, said it opted to cancel the event after the Coast Guard inspection delayed the start of the pre-sunset festivities. The statement did not address the immigration-enforcement concerns raised by Levine Cava.
“Due to delays caused by a routine Coast Guard inspection, Telemundo canceled its One Year to Go celebration,” the network statement said. “We regret the inconvenience to our guests and appreciate their understanding.”
The incident was first publicized on social media by Thomas Kennedy, an immigrant advocate in Miami. He shared with the Herald a text message he said he received from a person at the party.
“They came on board, did an inspection,” the message read. “A border control agent was also on board asking the boat staff specifically to show identification and proof of citizenship. This was while guests were already onboard…including the mayor.”
Levine Cava did not say whether she saw anyone being asked for identification, but the owner of a different boat company told the Herald it is not unusual for the Coast Guard to ask professional crew members about citizenship during a stop.
In her statement, Levine Cava said the Coast Guard boarding could be a black eye for the Miami area as it prepares to be a host of the 2026 World Cup games. Miami-Dade is contributing more than $40 million to subsidize the summer games, with hopes of a surge of international visitors and spending to offset the public expenditures.
“Miami-Dade is a globally recognized community that is proud to welcome visitors from around the world,” she said. “This incident is deeply troubling as it can cause a chilling effect for visitors to continue feeling safe and welcomed in our community.”
This story was originally published in the Miami Herald, a WLRN news partner.
