Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said Saturday that a prolonged federal funding lapse has complicated preparations for security operations ahead of next month's FIFA World Cup matches in the US, according to American media.
The Hill website reported that Mullin accused Democrats of jeopardizing public safety by delaying Department of Homeland Security (DHS) resources.
Speaking at a DHS news conference in Kansas City alongside Rep. Mark Alford, Mullin said the agency expects to successfully secure the tournament but acknowledged it had lost valuable preparation time.
"We haven't been able to be as proactive on putting those positions — those safety measures in place," said Mullin. "We have so much work to do."
- 'Put their safety in jeopardy'
Kansas City will host six World Cup matches between June 16 and July 11 as part of the tournament across the US, Mexico and Canada.
Mullin blamed Democrats for the 76-day funding lapse, arguing it endangered law enforcement readiness and the safety of spectators expected to attend matches.
"They really put the 600,000 people who are going to be at these matches ... put their safety in jeopardy," he said.
Alford echoed the administration's stance, saying, "Robust immigration enforcement is not a political issue. It's a national security imperative," according to Newsmax.
The comments come as federal officials ramp up security planning for the tournament.
Transportation Security Administration Acting Administrator Ha Nguyen McNeill previously warned Congress that staffing shortages caused by the funding lapse could hamper airport security operations ahead of the World Cup.
The American Civil Liberties Union, Amnesty International and more than 100 other organizations, meanwhile, have criticized the Trump administration's immigration and security policies tied to the event.
