ICE agents to provide security for U.S. officials at Milan Cortina Olympics

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents will have a security role during the upcoming Milan Cortina Winter Olympics (Feb. 6–22), sources at the U.S. Embassy in Rome told local media, a development later confirmed independently by the Associated Press.

Officials at the embassy said the deployment is not about enforcing U.S. immigration law abroad but about protecting U.S. diplomats and officials attending the Games . Federal ICE agents will support diplomatic security details, providing trained personnel for security escorts, threat assessment and protection of the American delegation, rather than engaging in any immigration enforcement operations.

ICE’s investigative arm, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) , has a global footprint and often works alongside the U.S. State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) at major international events to help safeguard diplomats and staff. Such deployments are not unusual. At past Olympics including the 2016 Rio Games U.S. agencies like the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and HSI were sent to assist with airport security and other protective duties for officials amid large crowds and potential threats. ICE/HSI agents receive specialised training in protective services, risk management and emergency response, making them suitable for supporting U.S. officials at high‑profile events abroad.

Despite this context, the possible presence of ICE agents in Milan has drawn criticism. Milan Mayor Giuseppe Sala said ICE would not be welcome in his city, which is hosting most ice sports, citing images of masked agents linked to protests in Minneapolis in the United States. “This is a militia that kills, a militia that enters into the homes of people… They are not welcome in Milan, without a doubt,” Sala said.

Italian authorities initially issued conflicting statements. Italian Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi said he had not received confirmation of ICE’s deployment but added that he saw no clear issue with it, according to the news agency ANSA. On Tuesday, the Interior Ministry reiterated that the U.S. had not confirmed the composition of its security team and insisted there were no indications ICE would act as an escort to the American delegation .

The U.S. delegation to the opening ceremony will be led by Vice President J.D. Vance , and also include Second Lady Usha Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the White House announced earlier this month.

The confirmation of ICE’s role comes amid heightened scrutiny of federal immigration enforcement in the United States. In recent weeks, federal immigration agents have been involved in multiple shootings in Minneapolis , including the fatal shooting of 37‑year‑old ICU nurse Alex Pretti during clashes between protesters and federal forces, intensifying protests and political criticism nationally.

While controversial, the planned deployment of ICE personnel to the Olympic security mission reflects longstanding practice by the U.S. government of using trained federal officers from DHS components for protective security roles at major international events , rather than domestic enforcement actions.