Fast Pass to the World Cup? ⚽✈️

Welcome to the first edition of From the Desk of Manifest.

In this weekly newsletter, you’ll get:

- Our perspective on what’s happening inside the U.S. immigration system
- Plain-language breakdowns of news and trends
- A curated edit of what we’re publishing and reading

Our purpose is simple: to dismantle the black box of immigration law and give you information you can trust, without the stuffy legal jargon.

The Legal Brief

Today’s memo is brought to you by Ana Gabriela Urizar, an immigration lawyer with 10+ years of experience and more than 15,000 cases filed.

This week, the federal government announced that World Cup ticket-holders will receive expedited visa appointments through a new “FIFA Pass” system. As someone who’s handled thousands of consular cases, I can already see the practical questions this raises: How will embassies implement this? Will it slow down appointments for other travelers? Could professionals working on World Cup-related projects benefit from immigration categories like the NIW or O-1? This is a major development with ripple effects far beyond sports fans.

From my perspective as an immigration attorney, this announcement is exciting — but it also raises real logistical concerns. Even with 400 additional consular officers, shifting resources toward World Cup travelers could slow down interview availability for everyone else, especially in high-volume consulates.

But at the same time, the economic impact is undeniable: The federal government itself highlighted that the 2026 World Cup is expected to generate $30-40 billion for the U.S. economy. That’s a massive national benefit, and it naturally raises the question of whether professionals working directly on World Cup projects — engineers, media specialists, sports technologists, event-operations experts — might qualify for categories like the O-1 or even make a strong argument under the EB-2 National Interest Waiver, given the scale of economic and cultural impact.

Keep reading below for more insights and news from the desk of Manifest’s immigration attorneys.

Sincerely,

READ THE FULL FIFA STORY

Immigration News of the Week

Under New Proposal, USCIS May Deny Green Cards to Immigrants Using Public Benefits
DHS unveiled a proposal that could allow USCIS to deny Green Cards to immigrants who have used public benefits such as food, housing, or healthcare programs. For those filing in the near future, this doesn’t mean your case is over, but I recommend reviewing any benefits used with an immigration attorney.
Consular Officers May Begin Denying Applicants With Health Conditions Like Obesity
This week, the news reported that an internal cable from the State Department suggested that officers deny immigration benefits to people with chronic health conditions like obesity. But even if this rule gets passed, those reviewing your case will likely take into account if you have health insurance or the ability to pay for medical care. Don’t panic about the news, and instead make sure your medical exam is accurate, complete, and handled by a civil surgeon who understands the legal criteria.
EEOC Issues Updated Hiring Guidance
The EEOC released new guidance on how employers should handle discrimination protections, hiring, and eligibility verification for immigrant and work-authorized applicants. As an immigration attorney, I recommend that employers review their hiring practices to ensure compliance, and employees should understand their rights when presenting work authorization.