A protester holds a sheet of paper with a printed depiction of the Olympic rings as handcuffs and studying “No ICE in Milano” throughout an illustration after it was confirmed that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) personnel will assist defend U.S. delegations on the Milan‑Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy
| Photograph Credit score: Reuters
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement personnel deployed for the Milano Cortina Olympics won’t conduct any policing on Italian streets, Italy’s inside minister mentioned on Tuesday, dismissing political outrage over their presence as baseless.
ICE and Border Patrol brokers have come below heavy criticism in america over their enforcement of President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown, and up to date information that ICE can be working on the February 6-22 Video games triggered anger in Italy.
Addressing these issues, Inside Minister Matteo Piantedosi informed parliament that solely operatives from ICE’s Homeland Safety Investigations division would be in Milan.
“We won’t see something on nationwide territory that resembles what has been seen within the media in america,” Piantedosi mentioned, confirming earlier statements that the HSI investigators would solely work out of U.S. diplomatic missions.
“The priority that impressed the controversy of latest days is due to this fact fully unfounded,” the minister mentioned.
Fierce criticism of ICE presence
Italian politicians, significantly from centre-left opposition events, had fiercely criticised the presence of ICE brokers on the Video games following the taking pictures of two U.S. residents in Minneapolis who have been observing or protesting ICE actions.
Piantedosi mentioned the presence of HSI investigators stemmed from a bilateral accord ratified by Italy in 2014 when the centre-left was in energy.
“The presence of personnel linked to the ICE company just isn’t a sudden or unilateral try to limit our nationwide sovereignty,” Piantedosi mentioned. “It’s the implementation of a binding worldwide settlement, absolutely compliant with our Structure and parliamentary prerogatives.”
‘ICE OUT’ protests
A tough-left Italian commerce union has introduced an “ICE OUT” protest throughout the February 6 opening ceremony.
Piantedosi mentioned Italy had drawn up a large safety plan for the Video games, that are being staged throughout northern areas, and was dispatching 6,000 cops, starting from bomb squads and canine anti-sabotage groups to alpine models and anti-terror operatives.
“We won’t deviate one centimetre from the course now we have taken to make sure security and public order at this main occasion, which is able to additional strengthen Italy’s worldwide credibility,” he mentioned.
Amongst these anticipated for Friday’s opening ceremony are U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Revealed – February 04, 2026 04:54 pm IST