First day of World Cup games in Atlanta, first border crime arrest made

By Bethany Blankley
The Center Square

On the first day of World Cup matches beginning in Atlanta, the first border related arrest was made of a Mexican national who was previously deported twice.

The first U.S. World Cup match in Atlanta occurred Monday between Spain and Cabo Verde, which ended in a draw, 0-0. Three other matches are scheduled in Atlanta through June 24. The first U.S. match was held in Los Angeles on Friday, where Team USA defeated Paraguay.

On Monday, the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia announced the arrest of a Mexican national with a prior cocaine distribution conviction who was also previously deported.

Mexican Lorenzo Rojas-Martinez, 37, faces federal charges of flying a drone over Centennial Olympic Park in a temporary flight restricted zone during the FIFA Fan Festival in Atlanta. He is also facing federal charges of “illegal reentry by a removed alien” after illegally reentering the U.S. as a gotaway after he was previously deported twice.

“Gotaways” is the official federal term for foreign nationals who illegally enter the U.S. between ports of entry to evade detection. They often have criminal histories and don’t make immigration claims. More than two million gotaways were reported during the Biden administration, The Center Square exclusively reported.

“Unauthorized drone operations in restricted airspace present a serious risk to public safety, particularly during major international events such as the FIFA World Cup,” U.S. Attorney Theodore Hertzberg said in a statement. “This enforcement action reflects the coordinated efforts of our federal and local partners to detect, disrupt, and deter unlawful activity that could endanger spectators, athletes, and first responders.”

The FBI Atlanta’s Counter UAV Task Force has already seized 21 drones related to the World Cup matches. Only one so far was allegedly operated by a gotaway.

“As these operators are putting the community at risk, our Ground Intercept Teams will continue to locate operators, seize drones, and pursue prosecution of those who violate the restricted airspace in place around FIFA World Cup activities,” FBI-Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Marlo Graham said.

According to the criminal complaint, federal agents observed Lorenzo Rojas-Martinez operating a drone in restricted airspace near Centennial Olympic Park during the 2026 FIFA Fan Festival in Atlanta while standing in a nearby parking area video recording the event. After agents approached him and requested his identification and reviewed his driver’s license, they confirmed he was in the country illegally. They determined he’d illegally reentered the country after two prior removals. Upon performing a criminal background check, they learned he was previously convicted of cocaine distribution, among other charges.

An investigation by the FBI and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is ongoing.

Rojas-Martinez is the latest gotaway arrest in Atlanta. It is unknown how many gotaways have illegally entered during the Trump administration. In Texas, ongoing border security interdiction efforts through Operation Lone Star regularly result in arrests of gotaways, although the numbers are far lower than they were under the Biden administration.

In one month, OLS officers apprehended 1,000 illegal border crossers in eight south Texas counties after they illegally entered between ports of entry. In several neighboring counties, they apprehended more than 1,200 – also gotaways, The Center Square reported. OLS officers are also seizing large quantities of meth and cocaine.

In Lavaca County, roughly 1.5 hours from Houston, OLS officers are apprehending gotaways driving on Texas roads without driver’s licenses. One major bust was of an MS-13 leader with an Interpol notice wanted for torturing and beheading four people in El Salvador, The Center Square reported.

The Atlanta arrest came after national security and terrorism concerns have been raised about FIFA World Cup events and federal vetting processes. It also came as several attorneys general have launched investigations into FIFA for alleged price gauging and ticket sale misrepresentation, The Center Square reported.

Forty-eight teams are competing in the international competition from June 11 through July 19 in Canada, the U.S. and Mexico. The U.S. has the greatest number of host cities.

U.S. host cities include Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, New York/New Jersey, Philadelphia, Seattle and the San Francisco Bay area. The World Cup final will be held in New Jersey on July 19.