Comic-Con International 2025 (SDCC 2025) is set to kick off this week, intending to welcome tens of thousands to San Diego to celebrate the popular arts… But this year a dark cloud already shrouds the event before it has even begun. Beginning earlier this year, United States immigration policy has seen some significant changes. (in fact, just today, news outlets are reporting that visa-holding tourists to the US will be subject to a “Visa Integrity Fee“). Reports tell stories of tourists and even US citizens being detained by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). As a result some countries (Canada among the notables) have even issued warnings about travel to the United States. A great deal of uncertainty remains regarding how these policies may affect SDCC 2025 attendance.
(Image: JJ Goodman for That Hashtag Show, LLC)
Over the years SDCC has become “the focal point for the world of comic conventions.” As such the convention draws tens of thousands of attendees, topping over an estimated 135,000 guests in 2024. A great many of those attending are international visitors. So will the looming specter of immigration raids deter international visitors from attending this year’s event?
US Policy and SDCC 2025
Concern about the effect US policy will have on SDCC 2025 has sparked Reddit threads rampant with speculation. Some are worried about ICE agents even appearing in cosplay with the intent of blending in. (Cosplay is, of course, a large component of the convention.) Whether such fears and concerns will come to bear remains to be seen. Nevertheless, it remains troubling that, when it comes to an an event that does nothing but bring like-minded people from across the world together in appreciation for the pop-culture genres they love, these worries exist in the first place.
(Image: JJ Goodman for That Hashtag Show, LLC)
As the non-profit organization behind SDCC states on its website, worldwide “… love of the comics medium continues to be its guiding factor as the event moves toward its second half-century as the premier comic book and popular arts style convention in the world.”
It will truly be interesting to see how current US policy will affect SDCC 2025. For us here at That Hashtag show, however, it won’t deter. We’ll be there and reporting all throughout the event. If you can’t make it yourself, stay tuned here for all of this year’s coverage!
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