Messi magic, ICE raids and gun ranges: What two Socceroos have learnt about America
For those who read this masthead from the back, and don’t always make it to the front, he’s talking about the crackdown that has resulted in more than 200,000 people being deported so far in Donald Trump’s second presidential term amid raids on such places as schools, hospitals and places of worship. Most were there illegally, but not all: some held valid visas or green cards and still found themselves caught in the widening net of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Polls show even many Trump voters think he’s gone too far. “Just because it doesn’t affect me directly, it could still,” Rowles, 27, said. “I’m on a visa. I saw something that it doesn’t matter if you have a visa, they can still choose to not let you in, effectively, when you get to the border. It is pretty sad to see those clips of people that could be really giving positively to the community for 30, 50 years, and then all of a sudden, it’s just taken away from them.” Then there’s the possibility that some supporters may not even make it to the World Cup. Trump has reinstated a travel ban on nationals from 12 countries, including Iran. While his executive order includes exemptions for players, coaches, staff and their families for the World Cup, reports suggest some Iranian officials have already had visa applications denied ahead of December’s draw.