Milan, Italy. US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents will help support US security operations during the Winter Olympic Games in Italy next month, an agency spokesperson told AFP. ICE said it would not conduct immigration enforcement abroad and that all security operations would remain under Italian authority.
ICE role and coordination
In a statement, ICE said its Homeland Security Investigations unit would support the US Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service and the host nation “to vet and mitigate risks from transnational criminal organisations” during the Games. The agency stressed that “all security operations remain under Italian authority”.
ICE also said it would not carry out immigration enforcement abroad, stating: “Obviously, ICE does not conduct immigration enforcement operations in foreign countries.”
Games schedule and locations
The Winter Olympics will take place from February 6 to 22, with events hosted in Milan and the wider Lombardy region.
Italian reactions and official responses
News of ICE’s involvement has triggered strong political and public reaction in Italy. Italian authorities initially denied that ICE agents would be present, before later playing down their role, suggesting they would be limited to providing security support for the US delegation.
Milan mayor Giuseppe Sala said on Tuesday that ICE agents were “not welcome” in the city. Speaking to RTL 102.5 radio, he said: “This is a militia that kills. It’s clear that they are not welcome in Milan, there’s no doubt about it. Can’t we just say no to Trump for once?”
On Monday, Lombardy regional president Attilio Fontana said ICE involvement would be limited to monitoring the movements of the US officials. “It will be only in a defensive role, but I am convinced that nothing will happen,” he told reporters. Fontana’s office later issued a clarification, saying he had no confirmed information on ICE’s presence and had been responding to a hypothetical question.
US officials expected at opening ceremony
US Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio are due to attend the opening ceremony in Milan on February 6.
Wider US immigration enforcement context
The controversy comes amid a broader immigration crackdown in the United States ordered by President Donald Trump, under which thousands of ICE agents have been deployed to cities across the country.
What impact do you think ICE’s involvement will have on perceptions of security during the Winter Olympics in Italy?
