World Cup 2026: US Goes Tough, Says Foreign Influencers Risk Deportation

The United States government has cautioned foreign content creators and social media influencers against earning income while visiting the country on tourist visas, warning that violators could face deportation and future travel restrictions.

The advisory, issued just as the 2026 FIFA World Cup gets underway, was contained in a joint statement by the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to Spanish news agency EFE on Wednesday.

According to the agencies, foreign nationals entering the United States under tourist programmes were prohibited from engaging in paid content creation or receiving income from US-based sources without the appropriate work authorisation.

“Having the sole purpose of the visit be content creation (as an influencer), thereby generating income from U.S. sources while in the country, is considered work and requires the appropriate visa,” the statement said.

The agencies explained that the B-2 tourist visa is intended solely for leisure travel, vacations, family visits and medical treatment, and does not permit employment or other income-generating activities carried out within the United States.

Authorities warned that visitors who violate the terms of their admission by working or overstaying their authorised period of stay risk immediate visa cancellation, deportation and possible restrictions on future entry into the country.

The directive specifically targets influencers and digital creators who monetise content through platforms such as YouTube, TikTok, Instagram and Facebook while physically present in the United States. CBP also stressed that working for a media organisation under a tourist visa falls under the same prohibition.

Immigration attorney Alex Galvez told EFE that foreign nationals who breached the conditions of their visas could lose their tourist status altogether. However, he noted that influencers whose social media businesses are legally based in their home countries and whose earnings are paid outside the United States may have grounds to challenge enforcement actions.

The warning comes as the 2026 FIFA World Cup, co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico from June 11 to July 19, is expected to attract thousands of independent creators planning to document the tournament for their online audiences.

The immigration spotlight surrounding the competition has extended beyond content creators. Last week, the International Sports Press Association raised concerns over what it described as unjust visa restrictions imposed by the Trump administration on some of its members, claiming several accredited journalists had been denied entry into the United States.

Similarly, Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan was reportedly denied entry into the country ahead of the tournament.

The strict enforcement posture follows previous immigration actions against high-profile influencers. In June 2025, Senegalese-Italian TikTok star Khaby Lame, one of the platform’s most-followed creators with more than 162 million followers, was detained by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at Las Vegas airport before voluntarily departing the country after allegedly overstaying his visa.

US authorities have also confirmed that ICE personnel will be deployed at World Cup venues as part of broader security operations, reflecting Trump’s administration’s tougher approach to immigration enforcement.