HOUSTON — Excitement is building with less than a year to go before the FIFA World Cup kicks off in the U.S., but immigration hurdles and fears of ICE enforcement are raising concerns about whether international visitors will show up in the numbers Houston and the United State is counting on.

“We’re sitting on the cusp of the most important year in the American travel industry’s history,” said Erik Hansen, Senior Vice President of Government Relations with the U.S. Travel Association.

The group has been warning for months that international travel to the U.S. is slipping. So far this year, visits are down about 8%. Hansen points to long visa wait times, higher fees, and harsh immigration rhetoric as key reasons.

“We’re concerned the trend line is in the wrong direction,” he said. "There

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