Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Mamdani plans World Cup 'know your rights' blitz for NYC workers, immigrants
By
Arya Sundaram
Published Jun 9, 2026
Modified Jun 9, 2026
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
Agoes Rudianto/NurPhoto via Getty Images
By
Arya Sundaram
Published Jun 9, 2026
Modified Jun 9, 2026
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Mayor Zohran Mamdani's administration plans to canvass neighborhoods across New York City in a roughly $130,000-campaign to inform workers and immigrants of their rights in tandem with the upcoming World Cup, according to City Hall.
Department of Consumer and Worker Protection staff will hand out copies of the “Workers’ Bill of Rights” at high-trafficked subway stations and other corridors on days throughout June and July. The Department plans to reach over 20,000 residents over the next five weeks.
The Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs will also distribute information about immigrants’ rights in multiple languages across immigrant neighborhoods, including what to do if U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers attempt to enter a home or workplace.
Mamdani said in a statement the administration was distributing the materials to New Yorkers and visitors alike to ensure that they are aware of the protections and that City Hall has their back.
"The World Cup is a time when people from around the world come together around a shared love of soccer,” Mamdani said in the statement. “We have no tolerance for those who want to use the tournament as an opportunity to take advantage of New Yorkers, whether that’s through deceptive business practices, violations of our labor laws, or other forms of exploitation.”
The steps come as New York and New Jersey prepare to cohost eight World Cup matches, beginning on Saturday and extending through July. An estimated 1.2 million visitors are expected to travel to the region for the tournament.
The matches also coincide with the Trump administration’s crackdown on legal and illegal immigration, which has heightened concerns around the presence of ICE officers at World Cup venues and by some accounts dampened interest in the tournament.
Gov. Kathy Hochul in May signed into law a set of sweeping immigration reforms, including a ban on law enforcement officers wearing masks and a measure barring local police statewide from enforcing civil immigration laws.
In response, President Donald Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan, renewed a promise on Fox News on Monday to deploy “more ICE agents than you’ve ever seen in New York City.” The administration has issued similar threats before.
Hochul responded to Homan's remarks on Tuesday, saying on social media, "We will continue working with federal authorities to target violent offenders. But we will not stand by if ICE floods our communities with agents, separates families, and turns our neighborhoods into the backdrop for a campaign of fear."
Mamdani planned to participate in the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection's first canvassing event on Tuesday afternoon in Brooklyn, passing out information to fast-food workers.
Samuel Levine, the department's commissioner, said in an interview the city wants to ““leverage the attention around the World Cup” to get the word out about worker protections.
“The mayor’s made clear that this should not just be a World Cup for the wealthy,” Levine said. “This should not just be an event for the elite. This should be an event to celebrate what makes New York great.”
Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs staff will hand out multilingual red and yellow palm cards as part of a "referee kit” they will distribute at commercial corridors and World Cup watch parties throughout the boroughs.
Neon yellow palm cards will list contact information for the city’s immigration legal support hotline, its hotline for domestic and gender-based violence victims, and 311 for questions about city services or consumer or worker issues.
Red palm cards will explain what to do when ICE agents approach homes or businesses, including explaining that ICE officers need judicial warrants or permission to enter homes or private areas of businesses. The cards will also tell individuals they may refuse to speak with officers or allow them to search their person.
The cards will be printed in the city’s 10 most commonly spoken foreign languages and Wolof.
“We are meeting people where they are, both physically but also culturally,” Faiza Ali, the immigrant affairs commissioner, said in an interview. “Rather than expecting people to come find government information, it’s on us to bring that information directly to them, into the places where people are already gathering.”
Levine said New York City has some of the strongest worker protections in the country, including a minimum pay for delivery drivers and a three-week notice of schedule changes for fast food workers. All workers are also entitled to time off, including for sick leave, caring for children, and appearing in court, Levine said.
Mamdani has proposed to boost the department's budget as his administration has mandated new policies intended to protect residents from potential ICE enforcement.
This story has been updated with additional comment from Gov. Kathy Hochul.
Tagged
Race And Justice Unit
World Cup 2026
Zohran Mamdani
new jersey
new york city
Arya Sundaram
Arya is a reporter covering race and justice. Got a tip? Email: [email protected] or reach Arya on Signal at 512-650-8767.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Dump truck driver hits and kills cyclist on 34th Street in Midtown, NYPD says
It's the latest in a string of hit-and-run deaths in the city in recent months.
By
Liam Quigley
Published Sep 28, 2026 at 4:15 p.m. ET
New ingredient mandated for Latin American kitchen, restaurant plates in NJ
The Garden State now requires that corn masa dough and flour made and sold in the state be fortified with folic acid.
By
Arya Sundaram
News
New ingredient mandated for Latin American kitchen, restaurant plates in NJ
The Garden State now requires that corn masa dough and flour made and sold in the state be fortified with folic acid.
By
Arya Sundaram
A Brooklyn jail cell filled with smoke. The emergency button failed, a lawyer said.
By
Samantha Max
Crews launch tunnel machines to dig first new Hudson River rail tunnels since 1910
By
Michael Sol Warren
NYC nor’easter dries up after weather service reports minor flooding
By
Ramsey Khalifeh
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .