ICE agents are set to deploy to the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina, Italy — and it’s causing an uproar from residents of the host country.
But the Department of Homeland Security was quick to set the record straight. ICE agents are there to support other US federal agencies that are running security of the high profile games.
“Obviously, ICE does not conduct immigration enforcement operations in foreign countries,” DHS said, responding to reports about ICE’s involvement in Milan.
“At the Olympics, ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations is supporting the US Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service and host nation to vet and mitigate risks from transnational criminal organizations. All security operations remain under Italian authority,” the department added.
ICE’s investigative arm, called Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), has previously provided support for US diplomats during the Olympics, officials said.
It’s also common for DHS to provide security support for Americans at major international events.
Despite the regular deployment during past events, this year’s ICE involvement has garnered backlash following the unrest in Minneapolis, where two, high-profile shootingsof protesters by federal agents triggered national and international scrutiny.
Milan Mayor Giuseppe Sala has flatly stated that ICE would not be welcomed in his city as it hosts the bulk of the Winter Games in February — and he made startling claims about the US federal agents.
“This is a militia that kills, a militia that enters into the homes of people, signing their own permission slips. It is clear they are not welcome in Milan, without a doubt,’’ Sala told local RTL Radio 102.
Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani defended ICE’s deployment to Italy, stating that the agency was following its role and would not endanger the lives of Italian citizens, CNN reported.
“Let’s be clear: it’s not like they’re coming to maintain public order in the middle of the streets. They’re coming to collaborate in the operations rooms,” Tajani told Italian radio station RAI on Tuesday.
The assurance came after an RAI crew reporting in Minneapolis aired footage of an ICE agent threatening to break a window in their car during their coverage of Sunday’s demonstrations.
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