Donald Trump’s reintroduction of travel restrictions has triggered alarm across the sporting world, and while Ireland is not a restricted country, New York GAA is among the bodies facing renewed uncertainty.

The executive order, reinstated by the Trump administration earlier this month, places strict visa controls on citizens from countries including Iran, Venezuela, Nigeria, and Afghanistan.

While the policy carves out exemptions for elite athletes, as well as coaches and support staff attending major events like the FIFA World Cup in 2026 and the Olympics and Paralympic Games in 2028, it offers little clarity for amateur, student and community-based organisations.

In New York, home to the largest GAA community outside of Ireland, the implications are already being felt.

“We’ve had players with temporary status asking whether it’s safe to travel home and return,” said a club source from Gaelic Park in the Bronx. “That uncertainty is deeply unsettling for lads trying to balance work, visas, and playing with their club.”

The New York senior footballers and hurlers, who made headlines in recent years with championship wins and strong showings against Connacht opposition, and who won last weekend’s Lory Meagher Cup, now face the added headache of navigating immigration concerns alongside preparations for matches.

For a panel composed almost entirely of emigrants, any new barriers to movement are a significant concern and will have a chilling effect on those who might otherwise be interested in participating.

Elsewhere, the travel ban is having knock-on effects across sport in the U.S., particularly at the college level, where many Irish and international students compete on scholarships.

Universities with rowing, athletics, tennis and soccer teams are reporting delays to visa processing and even some revocations, causing disruption ahead of preseason training camps.

While top-tier professional sports, such as the MLB and NBA, are mostly shielded thanks to existing long-term visa arrangements for players, lower-tier athletes and future signings from impacted countries may not be so fortunate.

Meanwhile, organisers of the Club World Cup, set to kick off in the U.S. this coming weekend, are concerned about fan access rather than player participation.

Although footballers and coaches are officially exempt, supporters from many regions may have struggled to secure travel visas in time.

Women’s sport is already feeling the strain. Players in the NWSL from countries like Venezuela and Zambia have opted out of international duty, citing fears they won’t be allowed re-entry to the U.S. after travelling.

While Olympic and World Cup organisers have issued public reassurances, the real test will come in the weeks and months months ahead, with pictures of National Guards on the streets of Los Angeles causing many to question whether a trip to the US is really something they want to do at the moment.

 

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SPORT FOR BUSINESS PERSPECTIVE

It is ironic that this has become a factor in a summer when the Aer Lingus College Football Classic and the then the NFL will be landing in Dublin, where Rory McIlroy has won the US Masters to complete a career Grand Slam and where Irish sporting connections to the US have never been stronger after years of careful nurturing.

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