A decision to involve US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in security operations at Italy’s upcoming Winter Olympic Games has sparked backlash from politicians and campaigners, with Milan’s mayor saying the agents are “clearly not welcome” in the co-host city.
Sources at the US embassy in Rome confirmed that ICE agents will take part in security arrangements during the Milan-Cortina Games, which begin on February 6. ICE said its Homeland Security Investigations unit would support the US State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service and Italian authorities in assessing risks from transnational criminal organisations, stressing that all security operations would remain under Italian control and that ICE would not carry out enforcement activities.
Controversy intensified after Lombardy regional president Attilio Fontana said US Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio would be protected by ICE bodyguards while attending the Games.
The news triggered anger in Italy, particularly given ICE’s role in aggressive immigration operations in the United States and recent fatal shootings involving US citizens in Minneapolis. Italian media reported that the government briefly considered blocking ICE participation, but doing so would have required a break from standard protocols for protecting visiting US officials.
Milan mayor Giuseppe Sala said the agents were not welcome in his city, accusing ICE of operating in ways incompatible with Italy’s democratic approach to security. He said Milan was capable of handling security itself and did not need ICE involvement.
Alessandro Zan, a member of the European parliament for the Democratic Party, also condemned the move, saying Italy should not host forces he accused of trampling on human rights and operating outside democratic control.
Two opposition parties, the Green and Left Alliance and Azione, have launched petitions urging the Italian government and Olympic organisers to prevent ICE agents from entering the country or taking part in security operations. The Green and Left Alliance described ICE as a militia that separates families and uses lethal force.
The confirmation of ICE’s role follows footage aired by Italian state broadcaster RAI showing ICE agents threatening to smash the window of a vehicle used by journalists covering events in Minneapolis, further fuelling criticism of the agency’s presence at the Games.
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