Lankford Leads Hearing on Border Security and Federal Readiness Ahead of Major Global Events

WASHINGTON, DC — Yesterday, Senator James Lankford (R-OK), Chairman of the Border Management, Federal Workforce, and Regulatory Affairs Subcommittee of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee (HSGAC), convened a subcommittee hearing to examine federal readiness on border security and personnel ahead of major global events and the 250^th anniversary of the United States. 

Opening remarks below:

“I am very pleased to be able to gavel in the first hearing in the Border Management, Federal Workforce and Regulatory Affairs Subcommittee today. Since January the 20th, we’ve seen significant development and improvement on the border security and development in the federal workforce. I’m eager to dive into a lot of those issues. But today’s issue, we want to focus on America’s readiness for the upcoming global events, specifically on personnel readiness and the paramount importance of managing the border as tens of thousands of spectators, athletes, coaches, government leaders come in from around the world for the Los Angeles Olympics, for [FIFA] World Cup, for the 250th birthday of the United States.

“We have a lot that’s coming up in the next several years for us. Under the Trump administration, President Trump took an active role in bidding for and winning the chance to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 2028 LA Olympics. The United States is also hosting the 2025 FIFA World Cup, for which begins later on this week.

“And it’s looking like the US could also host the 2031 FIFA Women’s World Cup. The 2028 LA Olympics will also be holding two events in Oklahoma City, as they wisely chose Oklahoma for softball and for canoeing and kayaking slalom. The federal government has promised to provide significant investment in security, visa processing, and multiple other aspects that go into these large global events.

“The FIFA World Cup will also coincide with America’s 250th birthday, with a match being played on July the 4th, 2026, in Philadelphia. Our government must be on the ball, and we’ll be ready to be able to secure the nation and ensure seamless travel for all of our welcome guests from around the world. However, when this committee spoke with DHS last year, I was very concerned the [Biden] administration had not fully prepared for these events yet, and the format was not laid out sufficiently to make that a seamless event.

“For example, visa wait times for Columbian nationals are at 18 months. That means Colombian nationals who want to come and support their team at the World Cup next year will have already needed to have applied for their visa, or they will not get to come and watch their team. If a Colombian national applied today, they would receive their visa after the World Cup has concluded.

“If Cosa Rica or Ecuador qualifies, their nationals are in a similar boat. The next available visa appointment in Costa Rica will occur during the 2026 World Cup. And the visa processing time for Ecuadorian nationals means that an applicant today will receive their visa after the World Cup ends. That’s clearly a problem for their fans. Customs and Border Protection, State Department, Federal Protective Service, Secret Service, DHS headquarters and many other elements in the federal government have told my staff that they’re aware of the visibility and prominence of these events on the world stage, but they hold grave concerns about what it will take to also process the visas and to secure these events.

“In 196, we saw the bombing at the Atlanta Olympics. In 2013, we saw a bombing at the Boston Marathon. Just last year, French authorities thwarted three attempted terrorist attacks during the Paris Olympic Games. These events are highly visible. They’re symbolic targets for those who want to do our nation harm, and we have to be prepared to stop attacks before they happen.

“In addition to what we would think of as more traditional terrorist threats, we’re also now seeing the proliferation of drones and illicit drone flights around major sporting events, including the NBA finals happening in Oklahoma City just this last weekend. Last year, a Baltimore Ravens game was disrupted by an illicit drone flight. In the Middle East, Eastern Europe and in Mexico, drones are increasingly carrying explosive devices and other payloads that could cause significant harm to athletes and spectators during these events. 

“The last time our country hosted events of this magnitude occurred in Salt Lake City in 2002, before the US Department of Homeland Security even existed. So, while I’m confident there has been a lot of preparation for this task and for all these guests coming from [around] the world, I am concerned that we are getting a late start.

“Happy to see that President Trump has announced a World Cup task force that’s being led by the Department of Homeland Security. This effort takes these events even more seriously and will focus on what it takes to be able to bring benefits to our country. Our witnesses are here today. They’ve been specifically invited to be able to talk about some of the things and the concerns that they have, and also things that we just need to be able to pay attention to in the days ahead.

“And I look forward to their testimony and introducing them…”

Background

The hearing included testimony from retired Lt. Gen. Reynold H. Hoover, CEO of the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games; Shawn Kinder, Director of Corporate Development and Strategy at Ferrovial Airports International; and Dr. Gina Ligon, Director of the National Counterterrorism Innovation, Technology, and Education Center at the University of Nebraska.

You can watch the full hearing HERE.

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