The 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan Cortino are set to begin on February 6, with the shock of late news of the ICE’s participation.
Published on January 27, 2026
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents will help support U.S. security operations for the Winter Olympics in Italy next month, a spokesperson told the AFP news agency.
“During the Olympic Games, ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations supports the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service and the host nation to monitor and mitigate risks related to transnational criminal organizations,” the agency said in a statement.
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“All security operations remain under Italian authority.”
He adds: “Clearly, ICE does not conduct immigration enforcement operations in foreign countries. »
The potential presence of ICE agents at the Milan-Cortina Games, Feb. 6-22, has sparked huge debate in Italy, following outcry over the deaths of two civilians during an immigration crackdown in Minneapolis.
Italian authorities first denied the presence of ICE, then sought to downplay its role, suggesting that its agents would only help ensure the security of the American delegation.
US Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio will attend the opening ceremony in Milan on February 6.
On Monday, the president of the northern Lombardy region, which hosts several Olympic events, said ICE’s involvement would be limited to surveillance of Vance and Rubio.
“It will only be in a defensive role, but I am convinced that nothing will happen,” Attilio Fontana told reporters.
However, his office later issued a statement saying it had no information about their presence, but was responding to a hypothetical question.
Thousands of ICE agents have been deployed by President Donald Trump to various US cities to combat illegal immigration.
Their actions have sparked widespread protests and the recent killings of US citizens Renee Good and Alex Pretti, both 37, on the streets of Minneapolis have sparked outrage.
The United States will host the 2028 Summer Olympicsthe Games taking place in Los Angeles.
