The political environment in the United States has raised alarm bells in the world of professional baseball, which is why the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA) issued an urgent warning to foreign players after Donald Trump and his administration announced stricter immigration measures that directly affect international athletes. Among the new restrictions are the elimination of bond hearings for certain detainees and the expansion of immigration bans to 36 countries.
MLB has approximately 30% of active foreign players, so Tony Clark, executive director of the union, expressed concern “It’s a challenge in a number of ways, we continue to communicate with our players, whether they are in the major or minor leagues to make sure they are protected”. In addition to the recommendation to always carry immigration documents and be in communication with the MLBPA.
Trump toughens immigration policies: direct impact on international Major League Baseball players
The Trump administration reactivated cooperation mechanisms with ICE that give access to data such as immigrants’ home addresses and ethnic profiles. This includes more intense surveillance of individuals in legal processes or moving between countries.
According to internal reports, ICE’s access to information such as Medicaid has increased, so the MLBPA has strengthened its legal infrastructure by providing players with a team of lawyers specializing in immigration.
We have legal counsel and have expanded our team to ensure that the boys are in the best possible position to get to the stadium and keep their jobs
Protection measures underway: what the MLBPA recommends to its non-American players
Faced with the uncertainty, the MLBPA has launched a preventive strategy and the union is instructing all international players to carry their essential documents with them, even during training or travel within the country. The aim is to minimize the risk of detention or questioning by immigration authorities at airports, hotels or stadiums.“We are trying to put them and equip them in the best possible position to navigate the current atmosphere around immigration,” Clark said in a message to the media and internal union channels, adding that communication channels are open and operational to deal with legal emergencies for both players and immediate family members.
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