A soccer match between Argentina and Puerto Rico, originally scheduled for next week in Chicago, has been relocated to Florida amid the immigration crackdown in the city, a person familiar with the decision told The Associated Press on Wednesday.

The friendly match was supposed to be played on Oct. 13 at Soldier Field in Chicago but will be moved to Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, the home stadium of Argentina and Inter Miami star Lionel Messi.

An Argentine Football Association executive confirmed the move to the AP and said it was because of the situation in Chicago, where President Donald Trump has deployed the National Guard to quell protests against the immigration crackdown. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the relocation had not been publicly announced.

More than 1,000 immigrants have been arrested since an immigration crackdown started last month in the Chicago area. The Trump administration vowed to deploy National Guard troops in its agenda to boost deportations.

Texas National Guard members are in Illinois and members of the Illinois National Guard are also expected to be deployed in the Chicago area.   

Jenniffer González-Colón, governor of Puerto Rico, was also expected to attend the game at Soldier Field. González-Colón, a co-founder of Latinos for Trump, is a member of Puerto Rico’s conservative leaning party that has affiliated itself with the president and Republican Party.  

Her anticipated presence in the city has been drawing some rebuke locally.  

Alds. Jessie Fuentes, (26th Ward), Ruth Cruz (30th Ward), Rossana Rodríguez Sánchez (33rd Ward), Anthony Quezada (35th War) and Gilbert Villegas (36th Ward), other elected officials, the Puerto Rican Cultural Center, National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts in Chicago and many other members of the Puerto Rican community signed a joint letter saying González-Colón was not welcome in Puerto Rican neighborhoods in the city.

“Her record and positions run counter to the values and struggles of our people, both on the island and in the diaspora,” the statement reads. “Governor González has aligned herself with Donald Trump as a founding leader of “Latinos for Trump,” embracing a political agenda rooted in xenophobia and authoritarianism. She has consistently advanced anti-immigrant policies, even supporting the deportation of immigrants in Puerto Rico and beyond.”

Fuentes, who was detained by ICE last week and has been outspoken against the Trump administration, responded to the news with frustration with the role that the National Guard deployment had in the decision to move the game. 

“These are the circumstances that Trump created for the city, right, which impacts sort of any international or national tourism to the city of Chicago,” Fuentes said. “It’s unfortunate that the league has had to move the game.”  

The decision to move the game to Fort Lauderdale from Chicago comes at the tail end of Hispanic Heritage month, which runs from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15, a fact that Fuentes finds concerning, yet intentional.  

“What Trump is doing is not about safety. It’s about creating chaos and asserting control in the city of Chicago,” she said. 

She sees Trump's actions as part of a larger attack on Latinos. 

“It’s a white supremacist project that seeks to whiten the country and that means taking out Latinos first,” Fuentes said.   

Fuentes still remains focused on the plans in the community to celebrate the game, nonetheless, urging Puerto Rican constituents to support their team.  

“We can give the Puerto Rican soccer team the support they deserve, across state lines and we will do the same for Bad Bunny during his halftime show,” she said, referring to the singer's recently announced Super Bowl performance. “… because that’s what Boricuas (Puerto Ricans) do. Boricuas show up for one another no matter where we are.” 

In an official statement from the National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts in Chicago, Billy Ocasio, CEO of the museum, expressed his anger with the decision.  

“We are outraged and heartbroken by the news…” the statement reads. “The Puerto Rican Soccer Team was set to visit out Museum this Sunday to celebrate with Chicago’s Puerto Rican community before the game, a moment we have looked forward to for months.”  

Ocasio believes the decision is part of a larger strategy by Trump administration to use force to impose economic sanctions on the city.  

“Hundreds, if not thousands, of visitors to our city are now left scrambling to change flights and cancel hotel reservations. It doesn’t just hurt the teams or the fans; it robs Chicago of an opportunity to celebrate unity, culture, and pride,” the statement reads.  

However, despite his heartbreak when hearing the news. He also believes now, potentially more than ever, is when the Chicago Puerto Rican community needs to come together.  

“Our community is not going to be intimidated. We’re not going to be silenced. We’re going to stand firm in our values, our culture and the love for the city, and we will find our ways to celebrate who we are,” Ocasio said in an interview. “Not just the Puerto Rican culture, right? We got to celebrate the Latino cultures … and every one of the cultures that make up the great city of Chicago.”  

As of now there is still a scheduled watch party for the Puerto Rican soccer team at the restaurant, La Sandwichera, 2721 W. Division St., for the Oct. 13 game.  

Argentina, the defending World Cup champion, will play Venezuela in another friendly match on Friday at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami. 

Messi was called up to play in both matches, which are part of Argentina’s preparations for next year’s World Cup, which will be cohosted by the U.S., Mexico and Canada from June 11 to July 19.  

The Associated Press contributed. 

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