Viewers tuning into WABC's "Tiempo" this Sunday are getting a very New York double feature: a feel-good profile of a homegrown dance mentorship nonprofit paired with a tense conversation about whether ICE could show up around FIFA World Cup matches.
The episode links a spotlight on MOVE|NYC| with mounting worries about federal agents near stadiums and fan zones, a scenario that has immigrant communities and stadium workers on edge as tournament planning ramps up.
Host Joe Torres is set to sit down with MOVE|NYC| co-founders Chanel DaSilva and Nigel Campbell, along with Young Professionals alum Carlos Carreras, as reported by ABC7 New York. The station reports that Murad Awawdeh of the New York Immigration Coalition will also join the program to talk through organizers' fears that ICE could "flood the zone" and to walk viewers through how neighborhoods can protect themselves. "Tiempo" airs Sunday mornings at 11:30 on Channel 7, WABC-TV, according to the station.
Move|NYC|'s mentorship pipeline
MOVE|NYC| describes itself as a decade-old, tuition-free program that offers elite training, mentorship and professional opportunities to New York City teens, with a mission to expand diversity and access in the dance world, according to MOVE|NYC|. Its Young Professionals Program and annual gala have become regular stops for emerging dancers, and the nonprofit's press materials highlight alumni landing company contracts and conservatory acceptances. Local coverage and seasonal announcements have tracked the organization’s growth and public performances over recent years.
DHS, ICE and the World Cup
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin told CBS News that ICE agents could be present at World Cup venues but emphasized that they are "not there to go round up mass individuals." He said the focus would be on customs issues, counterfeit goods and known criminal targets, not sweeping civil immigration enforcement.
The tournament is set to span host sites across the United States, Canada and Mexico and is expected to draw millions of fans. That scale has prompted an expanded federal security posture in host cities, according to U.S. Soccer.
Local pushback and labor worries
On the ground, officials and advocates are still clashing over what a federal footprint will actually look like once the games begin. Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said federal partners told him civil immigration enforcement would not take place at World Cup matches in Los Angeles, as reported by Reuters. Unions and rights groups, however, are not ready to take that entirely on faith.
Unite Here Local 11 has already authorized a strike vote at SoFi Stadium over wages, FIFA background checks and concerns about federal agents, according to reporting in the Los Angeles Times. Labor leaders say the World Cup hype cannot come at the expense of worker safety and dignity.
How communities are preparing
In New York, advocates say they are stepping up "know-your-rights" trainings, legal hotlines and rapid-response networks in case federal agents operate near fan zones or courtrooms, according to ABC7 New York. The New York Immigration Coalition, led by Murad Awawdeh, has long pushed to limit local cooperation with ICE and to expand community legal resources, as reflected in the group’s public statements and press materials.
For many New Yorkers, the upcoming "Tiempo" segment will be a reminder that the World Cup is testing more than transportation plans and TV schedules. It is testing community trust, labor relations and how local institutions respond when global events land on city streets. MOVE|NYC|’s founders say they hope the pairing of arts coverage with civic conversation sends a clear message: local people and local stories matter, even when the world is watching.
