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By Billal Rahman
Immigration Reporter
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An Argentine soccer player was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at a Florida airport as he prepared to board a domestic flight to play in a national final match.
Key midfielder Matias Alejandro Pourrain, 34, was arrested on August 6 at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport on his way to Los Angeles with Miami United FC for the 2026 UPSL National Championship Final against Deportivo Rose City at Wallis Annenberg Stadium, UCLA Campus — Westwood.
A Department of Homeland Security (DHS) spokesperson told Newsweek that Pourrain was admitted to the United States legally through Atlanta on November 12, 2019, and was authorized to remain in the country for six months. The agency said he stayed beyond May 11, 2020, when that period of admission expired.
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"Pourrain will remain in ICE custody pending his removal proceedings and will receive full due process," the agency spokesperson said.
His brother, Juan Pourrain, confirmed with Argentine media that Pourrain was traveling with Miami United FC to Los Angeles, where they lost the final 3-1 to Portland-based Deportivo on Sunday. Juan Pourrain told Todo Noticias that his brother had sought asylum and possessed a Social Security number and employment authorization.
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"He was with an asylum permit, but he was with Social Security, with a work permit, he had all the papers in order, but he was waiting for the appointment. It is clear that now they are grabbing those who have the appointment pending," Juan Pourrain told the outlet.
Pourrain's detention comes as the Trump administration has expanded immigration enforcement at U.S. airports, with ICE officers increasingly targeting travelers accused of overstaying visas and other immigration violations. Federal agents have made arrests at check-in counters and departure gates across the country using passenger information obtained through government databases, The New York Times has reported.
Pourrain's attorney, Regina Borges, told Noticias Telemundo that she had spoken with her client after his detention and said he was struggling with the experience.
"I spoke with my client, Matías, on the phone. He was very scared, he cried a little too," Borges said, adding that he was being held at an ICE processing center in Miramar, Florida. "Because it is not yet a detention center, it is only a processing center," she said.
Miami United FC said in a statement on Instagram it was "deeply shocked" by Pourrain's detention and had been assisting him and his family, including by providing legal support. The club described Pourrain as "an exceptional footballer" and "an important part of the Miami United family," adding that his teammates, coaches and staff "stand firmly behind him and his family."
Pourrain was playing for fourth tier United at the time of his detention and also competed for Showtime FC in the Baller League, a small-sided soccer competition, El País reported. He has also played for Club de Lyon FC in Florida and for Real Pilar in Argentina.
Club de Lyon FC said in a statement on Instagram that they hoped he could "continue his immigration process in freedom while his case moves through the legal system" and described him as "someone deeply loved by the people around him."
"Matías was not attempting to enter or leave the United States. He was simply traveling from one U.S. city to another," the statement said.
Registering Foreign Players
Governing body U.S. Soccer requires clubs registering foreign players to verify their registration history and, where necessary, obtain international clearance. But that process is separate from U.S. immigration and employment authorization.
Pourrain's family and attorney say he had a valid work permit while his immigration case was pending. NBC Miami, citing his attorney, reported that he had an immigration application pending and a work permit that was still valid at the time of his arrest.
For foreign athletes who qualify, U.S. immigration law also provides the P-1A classification or sports visa, which generally requires a U.S. employer, agent or sponsor to file a petition with USCIS.
Update: 08/11/2026 at 09.28 EDT. This article was updated with information about registration and visas for foreign players.
Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Ben Kelly and Trevor Davies.
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