Argentine semi-pro soccer player detained by ICE at Ft. Lauderdale Airport

Matias Alejandro Pourrain, an Argentine midfielder with Miami United, a semi-pro fourth-tier soccer club, has been in custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement since Aug. 6 after being detained at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport.

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Pourrain, 34, was traveling with his team to Los Angeles for the United Premier Soccer League semifinals when he was flagged after clearing TSA, questioned and arrested by ICE agents. He was initially taken to an ICE processing center in Miramar and has since been transferred to the Glades County Detention Center in Moore Haven, on the shore of Lake Okeechobee.

According to a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson, Pourrain entered the United States in 2019 on a temporary six-month visa and overstayed his visit after the visa expired.

“On August 6, 2026, ICE arrested Matias Alejandro Pourrain, an illegal alien from Argentina, at the Fort Lauderdale International Airport,” DHS said. “On November 12, 2019, Pourrain was legally admitted into the country at the Atlanta Intercontinental Airport, with permission to stay for six months. He chose to stay beyond May 11, 2020, in violation of our nation’s laws.

“Pourrain will remain in ICE custody pending his removal proceedings and will receive full due process.

“Being in detention is a choice. We encourage all illegal aliens to take control of their departure with the CBP Home App. The United States is offering illegal aliens $2,600 and a free flight to self-deport now. We encourage every person here illegally to take advantage of this offer and reserve the chance to come back to the U.S. the right legal way to live the American dream. If not, you will be arrested and deported without a chance to return.”

A Miami United spokesperson said three individuals approached Pourrain after he went through airport security and arrested him. In addition to being a player for Miami United, he coaches youth players in the club’s academy.

“Miami United FC was deeply shocked by the detention of our player Matias Pourrain prior to his departure for Los Angeles,” the club said in a published statement. “From the very first moment, the club has been fully at Matias’ and his family’s side, providing legal support, making an attorney available, and remaining in constant contact with his family.

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“We are cooperating with all parties involved and doing everything within our ability to help resolve this situation in the best possible way.

“Matias is not only an exceptional footballer, but an even better person and an important part of the Miami United family. His teammates, coaches, staff and the entire club stand firmly behind him and his family.

“We are with you, Matias.”

Before joining Miami United in 2026, he was a player and captain for Club de Lyon FC in the Orlando area until December 2025. Club de Lyon has been lobbying on Pourrain’s behalf on social media, claiming that the ICE explanation of his situation was not complete or fully accurate.

Club de Lyon said Pourrain’s original visa expired in May 2020 when the COVID pandemic led to global mobility restrictions. Pourrain submitted a request for extension of his stay, was awaiting an appointment, the process dragged on for years, and in the meantime, he was granted a work permit and had a valid driver’s license.

“Help bring him home,” Club de Lyon posted on Instagram. “A hardworking, kind and respected young man who has built a life and strong relationships with so many people in our community. He is not a criminal. He has no criminal record. This detention is completely out of place and unjust.

“The Board of Directors of Club de Lyon FC would like to sincerely thank all the people, press, and institutions that quickly collaborated to help raise awareness and visibility regarding the situation of Matias Pourrain…Matias will always be part of our family and our history. We are with you, Matias.”

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Miami Herald writer Syra Ortiz Blanes contributed to this report.

This story was originally published August 11, 2026 at 6:43 PM.