Mexican national soccer team changes hotels in Los Angeles because of safety concerns amid protests

The Mexican national soccer team decided to relocate to a different hotel in the Los Angeles area ahead of their Gold Cup opener this Saturday, citing safety concerns linked to recent immigration-related protests in the city, according to the Associated Press.

Mexico is set to face the Dominican Republic in their first match of the tournament at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, as they look to defend the title they won in 2023.

Although the team initially planned to stay in a downtown Los Angeles hotel, CONCACAF approved a change of plans. Team spokesperson Fernando Schwartz confirmed to AP that the squad will now be staying in Long Beach, a move aimed at avoiding potential conflict zones amid ongoing demonstrations.

The protests erupted on Friday after immigration officials detained over 40 individuals across Los Angeles. By Sunday, demonstrators had blocked a major highway and set fire to vehicles. Police responded with tear gas, rubber bullets, and flash-bang grenades.

On Monday, U.S. President Donald Trump ordered an additional deployment of 2,000 National Guard troops and 700 Marines to reinforce the city’s security.

When asked about the situation at a news conference in Chapel Hill, North Carolina - where Mexico is scheduled to play a friendly match against Turkey on Tuesday - head coach Javier Aguirre declined to discuss the events in Los Angeles.

“I’m not going to comment on that. We’re here to talk about football,” he said. “I’m far from the scene, I only know what I’ve seen on the news. I don’t want to misinform or cause confusion.”

Aguirre clarified that his silence should not be interpreted as indifference.

“I’m not trying to dodge the topic - I simply don’t have reliable details," he said. "I’m not a political figure, I’m the coach of the national team. My job is to prepare a squad that represents Mexico with pride, wherever we play and under any circumstances.”

Following the Dominican Republic match, Mexico will head to Arlington, Texas, to face Suriname, and will wrap up the group stage against Costa Rica in Las Vegas.