The US Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin has said the safety of those attending the 2026 World Cup is in "jeopardy".Mr Mullin made the remarks in Kansas City, Missouri, which is set to host six World Cup matches between June 16 and July 11.The former Senator told reporters he believed his department, which operates the US airline security force Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and law enforcement agency Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice), could still "deliver" ahead of the World Cup next month.But he accused Democrats - who had refused to fund Ice and the DHS after the deaths of Alex Pretti and Renee Good - of putting the safety of people visiting the US for the FIFA World Cup in "jeopardy".TRENDINGStoriesVideosYour SayHe said the 76-day shutdown of the Department for Homeland Security (DHS), which ended last week, had impacted security preparation ahead of the international football tournament.Mr Mullin said: "Right here in Kansas City, you're going to host six games. That's equivalent to six Super Bowls."It put our mission in Jeopardy."The shutdown was ended after Donald Trump signed a spending bill which reopens the DHS, but does not include funds for Ice or US border patrol agency Customs and Border Protection.Mr Mulin said "agencies that people don't even think about" were involved in security operations around the World Cup, which included drone operations and communication monitoring.Naming the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), he said the shutdown resulted in a third of staff leaving the agency."We havent been able to be as proactive on putting those positions - those safety measures in place, and the first match is June 11."The first one in the U.S. is in L.A., June 12. That is around the corner. We have so much work to do."LATEST US POLITICS:Donald Trump congratulates SNP but doesn't mention Nigel Farage after Reform surgeDonald Trump announces ceasefire in Russia-Ukraine war as he says peace is 'closer every day'Marco Rubio backs Nato in visit to Italy after Donald Trump considers pulling troops across EuropeBetween five and seven million tourists are expected to travel to the United States for the World Cup, which is being hosted by three countries across North America.Mr Mullin said 90 per cent of tickets for the event have already sold out.He was joined at the press conference by Republican Representative Mark Alford, who appealed for the DHS to receive full funding.The Missouri Representative said: "We've got to make sure that DHS is fully funded. "Quit putting the politics in front of our security as a nation."And TSA deputy administrator Ha Nguyen McNeill previously said 480 agents had quit because of funding shutdowns.Describing it as a "dire situation" ahead of the World Cup, she said: "As the shutdown drags on, we fear we will continue to lose talented and experienced employees to other jobs that can provide a steady paycheck."Not only is the shutdown decreasing the number of interested candidates, for those we are able to hire, they are required to complete four to six months of training before they are certified to work at checkpoints."She added: "At this point, newly hired officers will not be able to work on the checkpoint until well after the 2026 FIFA World Cup."Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter