World Cup fever offers New York’s immigrant communities hope

WORLD Cup fever is beginning to hit New York’s immigrant communities where wariness of the Trump administration’s deportation crackdown has weighed on foot traffic.

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In Brooklyn’s —Little Haiti—, street blocks once busy with merchants were quiet earlier this week.

Mahalia Desrosiers, a project manager for the civic group Little Haiti BK, has seen some businesses shut down even though the neighbourhood has not actually been raided by immigration agents. But she is becoming more confident the community will rediscover its joie de vivre as Haiti’s first World Cup appearance in more than 50 years quickly approaches.

—I think the World Cup will give people a sense of life, of hope, energy,— Desrosiers said.

—Haitians will put their flag on everything. We will paint this town red and blue.—

City officials have been canvassing immigrant neighbourhoods ahead of the opening games on June 11 to publicise FIFA-related opportunities.

The city’s tourism agency is preparing a Fifa calendar of events so visitors can experience matches in neighbourhoods with the most passion at stake. They also plan to post short videos promoting watch parties to social media.

Another programme, the Five Borough Winners Special, will supply eating and drinking establishments with complementary drinking cups celebrating the soccer extravaganza.