US to send ICE agents to Winter Olympics in Italy next month

US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents are set to take on a security support role during the Winter Olympics in Italy next month in a decision that has triggered anger and political tension after two fatal shootings involving ICE officers in Minneapolis.

Sources at the US embassy in Rome confirmed that ICE agents will assist with diplomatic security during the Milan-Cortina Games, which begin on 6th February. According to both embassy officials and ICE, the agents will not carry out immigration enforcement and will operate under Italian authority.

An ICE spokesperson said that the agency’s investigative arm, Homeland Security Investigations, is helping “to vet and mitigate risks from transnational criminal organisations,” adding that it would “obviously” not conduct immigration operations outside the US. Italian authorities have also insisted that security for the Games remains the responsibility of the Italian state.

Despite those assurances, the news has caused outrage in Italy, particularly in Milan, which is hosting most of the ice events. Mayor Beppe Sala was blunt in his criticism, telling RTL radio: “This is a militia that kills… of course they’re not welcome in Milan.” In a separate interview, he doubled down, saying: “I wonder, Can we say no to Trump, just for once? ICE officers shouldn’t come to Italy because they are not aligned with our democratic way of managing security.”

The controversy comes just days after Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old nurse, was shot dead by federal agents in Minneapolis. He was the second US citizen killed in the city this month during immigration enforcement operations, following the death of Renee Good. The shootings sparked protests across the city and fierce criticism of ICE tactics.

Italian public broadcaster RAI added to the unease by airing footage from Minneapolis showing ICE agents threatening journalists who were reporting on the crackdown. In the video, an agent warns a RAI crew that their car window would be smashed if they continued filming.

Initially, Italy’s interior minister Matteo Piantedosi appeared unaware of ICE’s involvement and played down concerns, saying: “I don’t see what the problem is and it’s very normal.” But as public anger grew, he later took a firmer stance, insisting that “ICE will certainly not operate on Italian national territory” and that the US had not provided a full list of its security personnel.

Regional and national politicians have also weighed in. Lombardy governor Attilio Fontana suggested the agents could be there to protect US Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who are expected to attend the opening ceremony. Meanwhile, opposition figures accused the Italian government of staying silent to avoid upsetting Washington. Five Star Movement senator Barbara Floridia warned that continued silence would show “yet more evidence of cowardice and subservience towards Donald Trump”.

The timing has further fueled controversy because ICE’s presence abroad was revealed just as the Trump administration began scaling back its Minneapolis operation. Gregory Bovino, the commander who became the public face of the crackdown, has been moved out of the city, and some agents are also leaving. His removal followed widespread backlash in the US, including criticism from both Democrats and Republicans.

Even as ICE insists its Olympic role is limited and technical, the images from Minneapolis and the agency’s recent actions have made its arrival deeply contentious. For many in Italy, especially in Milan, assurances about authority and oversight have done little to calm fears about seeing the same agency on their streets during one of the world’s biggest sporting events.