Nellie Pou

Nellie Pou is a Democratic Party member of the US House of Representatives, serving New Jersey's 35th congressional district. First elected to the New Jersey General Assembly in 2002, she transferred to federal politics and has focused on immigration, civil liberties, and community services for her predominantly Hispanic constituency in the Passaic area.

In March 2026, Pou introduced the Save the World Cup Act, legislation to ban US Immigration and Customs Enforcement from conducting operations near FIFA World Cup stadiums and fan zones during the tournament (11 June – 19 July 2026). The bill emerged alongside parallel measures from Eric Swalwell and LaMonica McIver, the three forming a coordinated Democratic push to protect foreign visitors and undocumented residents from immigration enforcement during the tournament .

All three bills face near-certain defeat in the Republican-controlled House, framing them as symbolic opposition to the Trump administration's aggressive enforcement posture rather than prospective law. The Save the World Cup Act nonetheless sharpens a genuine tension: the US is co-hosting a global event drawing millions of foreign visitors while simultaneously escalating immigration crackdown operations, a contradiction that could shape diplomatic relations and tourism confidence.