Anger as US ICE agents to help with security at Winter Olympics in Italy
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US Vice-President J.D. Vance (left) and Secretary of State Marco Rubio will attend the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics in Milan on Feb 6.
PHOTO: AFP
- ICE's HSI will support US State Department security at the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics, focusing on transnational crime, not immigration enforcement, under Italian authority.
- Italian politicians and the mayor of Milan have criticised ICE's involvement, citing concerns about human rights and ICE's reputation, following immigration crackdown deaths in the US.
- Despite initial denials, ICE confirmed its HSI agents would "vet and mitigate risks from transnational criminal organisations" supporting US officials, while Italy maintains overall security control.
AI generated
ROME - A branch of the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) will help with security
Reports had been circulating for days that the agency embroiled in an often brutal immigration crackdown in the United States could be involved in US security measures for the Feb 6-22 Games in northern Italy.
In a statement overnight to AFP, ICE said: “At the Olympics, ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is supporting the US Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service and host nation to vet and mitigate risks from transnational criminal organisations.
“All security operations remain under Italian authority.”
It’s not known whether the HSI has in the past been involved in the Olympics, or whether this is a first.
‘Not welcome’
According to the ICE website, the HSI investigates global threats, as well as investigating the illegal movement of people, goods, money, contraband, weapons and sensitive technology into, out of, and through the US.
ICE made clear its operations in Italy were separate from the immigration crackdown, which is being carried out by the Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) department.
“Obviously, ICE does not conduct immigration enforcement operations in foreign countries,” it said.
The protection of US citizens during Olympic Games overseas is led by the State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS).
Yet the outrage over ICE immigration operations in the US is shared among many in Italy, following the deaths of two civilians
The leftist mayor of Milan, which is hosting several Olympic events, said ICE was “not welcome”.
“This is a militia that kills... It’s clear that they are not welcome in Milan. There’s no doubt about it,” Mr Giuseppe Sala told RTL 102.5 radio.
“Can’t we just say no to (US President Donald) Trump for once?”
Mr Alessandro Zan, a member of the European Parliament for the centre-left Democratic Party, condemned it as “unacceptable”.
“In Italy, we don’t want those who trample on human rights and act outside of any democratic control,” he wrote on X.
Monitoring Vance
Italian authorities initially denied the presence of ICE and then sought to downplay any role, suggesting they would help only in security for the US delegation.
US Vice-President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio are attending the opening ceremony in Milan on Feb 6.
Mr Giovanni Malago, president of the Milan-Cortina organising committee, said he believed ICE agents would be present “for the high-ranking US government officials” and have “nothing to do with the Games’ security aspects”.
“It’s not about the Olympics, but about individuals,” he said.
On Jan 26, the president of the northern Lombardy region, said their involvement would be limited to monitoring Mr Vance and Mr Rubio.
“It will be only in a defensive role, but I am convinced that nothing will happen,” Mr Attilio Fontana told reporters.
However, his office then issued a statement saying he did not have any specific information on their presence, but was responding to a hypothetical question.
Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi was quoted as saying late on Jan 26 that “ICE, as such, will never operate in Italy”.
Mr Piantedosi’s office said he met with the US ambassador in Rome on Jan 27.
The International Olympic Committee when contacted by AFP replied that “security at the Olympic Games is the responsibility of the authorities of the host country, who work closely with the participating delegations”.
“We kindly refer you to the USOPC (the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee)”, it said.
Thousands of ICE agents have been deployed by President Donald Trump in various US cities to carry out a crackdown on illegal immigration.
Their actions have prompted widespread protests, and the recent killings of US citizens Renee Good and Alex Pretti, both 37, on the streets of Minneapolis sparked outrage. AFP
