The announcement that the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency will send agents to assist with security operations during the Winter Olympics in Italy has sparked significant backlash in the country. As the Olympics approach, set to begin on February 6 in Milan-Cortina, the involvement of ICE has raised alarms and anger among Italian officials and citizens alike.
Italian officials express outrage
The confirmation of ICE’s role came from multiple U.S. government departments, leading to immediate condemnation from Italian leaders. Milan’s Mayor, Beppe Sala, expressed his disapproval, stating,
“This is a militia that kills… of course they’re not welcome in Milan.”
In an effort to mitigate the outrage, Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani attempted to reassure the public, suggesting that the presence of ICE does not equate to a military threat by comparing it to the Nazi SS.
During a ceremony for Holocaust Remembrance Day, Tajani emphasized that no ICE agents would be patrolling the streets of Italy; instead, he assured reporters that security would be managed solely by local forces, including the police and the Carabinieri military police. He also mentioned that the U.S. would establish an operations center at its consulate in Milan, coordinating with Italian authorities.
Context of U.S. security operations
According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the security services at the Olympics will be directed and supervised exclusively by Italian officials. U.S. embassy representatives clarified that various federal agencies have historically participated in international events, although it remains uncertain if ICE has been involved in previous Olympics.
U.S. officials indicated that the role of Homeland Security Investigations, a division of ICE, would be limited to providing support in collaboration with Italian authorities to address threats from transnational criminal organizations. Tricia McLaughlin, a spokeswoman for the DHS, assured that there would be no immigration enforcement activities conducted on Italian soil.
The controversy intensified following a recent incident in Minneapolis, where an ICE agent was involved in a fatal shooting, leading to national protests. This event has heightened sensitivities surrounding the agency’s presence in Italy. The governor of Lombardy, Attilio Fontana, sought to ease tensions by suggesting that ICE agents would primarily be deployed for the protection of U.S. officials attending the Olympics, such as Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Opposition leaders, including Senator Barbara Floridia from the Five Star Movement, criticized the government’s silence on the issue, labeling it a sign of “cowardice and subservience towards Donald Trump.” In response to growing concerns, Italy’s Interior Minister Matteo Pantedosi reaffirmed that ICE would not operate on Italian territory, insisting that security is guaranteed by the Italian state.
As the situation develops, Mayor Sala remains skeptical about ICE agents’ involvement, asserting,
“I believe [ICE agents] shouldn’t come to Italy because they don’t guarantee they conform to our democratic way of ensuring security.”
With the Olympics just around the corner, it remains to be seen how the tensions will affect the event’s security landscape.