The Los Angeles Dodgers will uphold a long-standing American sports tradition by accepting a White House invitation to celebrate their 2025 World Series championship over the Toronto Blue Jays, despite pressure from activist groups urging a boycott.
According to Fox News, a White House official told the New York Post that the club has already been in contact with the administration and intends to make the trip, though a specific date has yet to be determined.
The decision comes amid calls from immigration advocacy organizations for the team to skip the customary visit in protest of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) enforcement efforts, a demand that underscores how even a ceremonial championship event is being dragged into partisan political battles.
Tension over immigration policy has hovered around the franchise for months, with critics insisting the Dodgers use their platform to denounce federal enforcement rather than simply celebrate their on-field success. Dodgers team president Stan Kasten tried to tamp down speculation over the weekend, saying, "I dont have any news for you on that," when asked about a White House visit, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Manager Dave Roberts, however, made clear he intends to attend and prefers to keep baseball traditions separate from political theater. "I am going to continue to try to do what tradition says and not try to make political statements because I am not a politician."
The Dodgers, now winners of back-to-back World Series titles after a dramatic seven-game clash with Toronto, are no strangers to the White House stage. They visited President Joe Biden in 2021 and returned to Washington this past April for a ceremony with President Donald Trump, signaling a willingness to honor the office regardless of which party holds power.
Despite vocal opposition from some fans and activists, nearly the entire roster joined Roberts at the White House last year. Players largely echoed their managers view that the visit is about respecting the institution of the presidency and the nations history, not endorsing any particular policy agenda.
Star pitcher Clayton Kershaw articulated that sentiment plainly, emphasizing the honor of the occasion rather than the politics surrounding it. "The White House is an incredible honor to get to go see, regardless of whos in office," Kershaw said, per the New York Post.
Kershaw reminded critics that the team has been consistent in its approach, regardless of administration. "We went in 2021. We went this time. I know theres been a lot of stuff about, should the Dodgers go? All this stuff. But at the end of the day, getting to go to the White House, getting to see the Oval Office, getting to meet the president of the United States, thats stuff that you cant lose sight of no matter what you believe. I was super honored to get to go today."
Not every player chose to participate, illustrating that individual conscience is still respected within the clubhouse. Dodgers reliever Brusdar Graterol declined the invitation, saying he preferred to remain at "my brown house."
Following the Dodgers successful title defense in Toronto, the National Day Laborer Organizing Network (NDLON), an immigration rights group, launched an online petition demanding the team refuse any future White House invitation, including a potential 2026 ceremony. "The Los Angeles Dodgers have always been more than a baseball team theyre part of the spirit of who we are as a city. The team represents our neighborhoods, our families, and our shared love for our diverse communities. But right now, our community, our city are under siege, we need them to stand with us, on the right side of history," the petition read.
The petition urged the franchise to transform a nonpartisan tradition into a political statement aligned with progressive immigration activism. "Ask the team to honor the unity, integrity and diversity they themselves represent. They cannot stay silent as our families and neighbors face violence, detention, and deportation. By visiting a president who has used his power to harm the most vulnerable, the team would be turning its back on the very people who fill the stadiums, wear the jerseys, and give this team its heart. By encouraging the team to do the right thing, we will show the White House that Los Angeles stands for compassion, dignity, and solidarity with their immigrant neighbors."
The Dodgers have already been pulled into controversy over federal enforcement agencies, with the club claiming in June 2025 that it had turned away ICE agents from Dodger Stadium. ICE pushed back, calling that account "false" and insisting its personnel were "never there."
The team maintained that agents had "requested permission to access the parking lots," but an ICE spokesperson told Fox News Digital in an email that "ICE was never at Dodgers stadium, and thus never tried to gain access." U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) later clarified that "CBP vehicles were in the stadium parking lot very briefly," adding that the brief presence "had nothing to do with the Dodgers."
On the field, the Dodgers remain a powerhouse and are widely expected to enter the 2026 MLB season as favorites to capture yet another World Series crown. With major additions such as All-Star closer Edwin Daz and All-Star outfielder Kyle Tucker, the club appears focused on extending its dynasty, even as activists attempt to turn its championship rituals into another front in the nations political and cultural disputes.
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