Italian government leaders objected this week after the U.S. Department of Homeland Security confirmed that Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents would join the American security contingent supporting U.S. Olympic athletes in Italy.
The confirmation prompted Italy to push back on the prospect of ICE agents operating on its soil, according to The New York Times.
The Department of Homeland Security said ICE agents will accompany the U.S. delegation to the Winter Olympics in northern Italy "to vet and mitigate risks from transnational criminal organizations," according to a statement from Tricia McLaughlin, DHS assistant secretary for public affairs.
"All security operations remain under Italian authority," McLaughlin said, adding that ICE "does not conduct immigration enforcement operations in foreign countries."
The Winter Olympics are scheduled to begin Feb. 6, with Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio expected to attend the opening ceremonies.
In all, 232 American athletes are scheduled to compete.
In a separate statement, the State Department said that "as in previous Olympic events, multiple federal agencies are supporting the Diplomatic Security Service, including Homeland Security Investigations, ICE's investigative component."
Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said ICE agents would not be permitted to deploy on Italian streets and emphasized that public order during the Games would remain the responsibility of Italian national and local police.
Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi said the situation had been overstated and noted that foreign delegations are permitted to select their own security staff.
"ICE, as such, will never operate in Italy," Piantedosi said, adding that it is "absolutely forbidden" for foreign officers to carry out police or immigration-related activities in the country.
He said any suggestion otherwise reflected either incompetence or bad faith.
The issue drew criticism from Italian political figures, including Milan Mayor Giuseppe Sala, who said the Italian government should "say no to Trump."
Elly Schlein, leader of Italy's Democratic Party, said she was concerned about the arrival of what she described as "an armed militia that is not respecting the law on American soil."
Italian media coverage referenced recent protests in Minneapolis involving ICE and Border Patrol agents as part of the public reaction.
U.S. agencies emphasized that ICE's role is limited and advisory.
Homeland Security Investigations, a branch of ICE, played a similar coordination role in the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, working with host nation security services to share information and best practices.
After meeting on Tuesday with Tilman J. Fertitta, U.S. ambassador to Italy, Piantedosi said Italian authorities would coordinate with U.S. personnel for the protection of American athletes and delegations.
He reiterated that ICE agents "will have no external public order function" during the Games.
Jim Mishler ✉
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