Man dressed as Batman urges city officials in California to block ICE role at upcoming Super Bowl
The protester told Santa Clara city council members on Jan 27 they should ensure that local resources do not support federal immigration operations at the Super Bowl sporting event at Levi's Stadium in the city on Feb 8.
A man dressed as Batman confronted Santa Clara city council members over expected ICE operations at the upcoming Super Bowl, warning that failing to act could put residents at risk. (Photo: Youtube/City of Santa Clara)
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A man dressed as Batman confronted officials at a city council meeting in California on Tuesday (Jan 27), raising concerns over the possible presence of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents at the upcoming Super Bowl sporting event.
The match, at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara city on Feb 8, is between the Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots. It is the culmination of the National Football League season, and one of the biggest events on the US sporting calendar.
Federal officers are expected to carry out immigration operations during the event, prompting debate over local support for federal enforcement.
During the meeting at Santa Clara council, the unidentified man told council members they had months to prepare for the event and demanded that they "reaffirm" that local resources would not support federal immigration operations.
Calling the council "cowards", he accused them of allowing the federal government to "walk all over" the country and added that "hundreds of masked men" could enter Santa Clara and put residents at risk if policies were not enforced before the event.
The remarks come amid heightened scrutiny of ICE following recent enforcement operations in Minnesota that resulted in two fatal shootings by federal officers and the detainment of both US citizens and noncitizens.
Reactions online were mixed, with some viewers saying the Batman‑clad speaker was hard to take seriously.
Others praised him, saying "we need to get this man into Congress" and that "some heroes do wear capes".
One wrote: "You guys might be laughing, but he got his message out."
According to news website SFGate, federal agencies did not respond to requests for comment on whether ICE plans to carry out operations near Levi's Stadium during the 2026 Super Bowl, despite statements from local officials indicating the agency is expected to be involved.
ICE's Homeland Security Investigations division has not carried out immigration raids at past Super Bowls, but has joined security operations at large sporting events, usually targeting human trafficking and counterfeit goods, reported SFGate.
