Montreal Canadiens Players Told To Carry Passports at All Times and Avoid Going Outside While in Minnesota  

AP Photo/Matt Krohn

Players for the Montreal Canadiens were reportedly told by management to carry their passports at all times while in Minnesota, where they played the Minnesota Wild on Monday night.

The Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, as well as the surrounding areas, have been the epicenter of President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown in recent weeks. Last month, immigration agents shot and killed two people in separate incidents, and Border Patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement have separated families, deported children who are U.S. citizens, and conducted operations at elementary schools, churches, and hospitals.

On Monday, Luc Gélinas, who covers the Canadiens, appeared on Quebec radio station FM Charlevoix and told host Kevin Vallée that the team opted to stay in Buffalo on Saturday night after a game against the Sabres, rather than travel to Minnesota so as to spend less time in the state. Gélinas also said the club told players to have their passports with them at all times and to avoid going outside. Management recommended that players eat at the hotel instead of venturing out. Gélinas’ French-language report was relayed in English by Dose, a Canadian sports website.

The vast majority of Canadiens players hail from outside the U.S.

In June, the U.S., Canada, and Mexico will host the FIFA World Cup. In-person attendance could be problematic or downright impossible for many soccer fans hoping to attend matches in the U.S. Last month, the Trump administration suspended visa processing for people from 75 countries, though athletes from those countries are exempt.

The Canadiens lost to the Wild 4-3 in overtime.

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