New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has announced a citywide “Know Your Rights” outreach campaign aimed at educating workers and immigrants about their legal protections as the region prepares to host matches during the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The initiative, valued at approximately US$130,000, will see staff from the city’s Department of Consumer and Worker Protection distribute copies of the Workers’ Bill of Rights at busy subway stations and commercial corridors throughout June and July. City officials expect to reach more than 20,000 residents during the five-week campaign.
- Advertisement -
Mamdani said the effort is designed to ensure that both New Yorkers and visitors understand their rights and available protections.
“The World Cup is a time when people from around the world come together around a shared love of soccer,” he said. “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 campaign comes as New York and New Jersey prepare to co-host eight World Cup matches, beginning this month and continuing through July. Officials estimate that approximately 1.2 million visitors will travel to the region during the tournament.
In addition to worker protections, the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs will distribute multilingual information outlining immigrants’ rights, including guidance on interactions with officers from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
The materials include “referee kits” containing red and yellow cards inspired by soccer. Yellow cards will provide contact information for immigration legal assistance, domestic violence support services and the city’s 311 information system. Red cards will explain legal rights when approached by immigration officers, including information about warrants, searches and the right to remain silent.
According to Immigration Affairs Commissioner Faiza Ali, the city is focusing on direct community engagement.
“We are meeting people where they are, both physically and culturally,” Ali said. “Rather than expecting people to come find government information, it’s on us to bring that information directly to them.”
The initiative also comes amid ongoing national debates over immigration enforcement. Recently, Kathy Hochul signed legislation that includes restrictions on local law enforcement participation in civil immigration enforcement actions.
Meanwhile, White House border adviser Tom Homan has indicated that federal immigration enforcement operations in New York could increase significantly.
City officials maintain that the campaign is intended to ensure residents understand their rights and available protections while New York welcomes millions of visitors for one of the world’s largest sporting events.
Samuel Levine, commissioner of the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection, said the city hopes the World Cup will benefit all residents, not only tourists and businesses.
“The mayor’s made clear that this should not just be a World Cup for the wealthy,” Levine said. “This should be an event to celebrate what makes New York great.”
Under New York City law, workers are entitled to a range of protections, including paid sick leave, certain scheduling rights for fast-food workers, and minimum-pay standards for delivery workers. Officials say the outreach campaign will help ensure that residents are aware of those protections as economic activity increases during the tournament.
