{"id":77557,"date":"2026-01-28T00:01:00","date_gmt":"2026-01-28T07:01:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.opinionpublica.tv\/portada\/?p=77557"},"modified":"2026-01-27T21:45:06","modified_gmt":"2026-01-28T04:45:06","slug":"outcry-in-italy-as-u-s-says-ice-agents-will-join-olympics-delegation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.opinionpublica.tv\/portada\/outcry-in-italy-as-u-s-says-ice-agents-will-join-olympics-delegation\/","title":{"rendered":"Outcry in Italy as U.S. says ICE agents will join olympics delegation"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"Outcry<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

ICE will accompany the U.S. delegation to the Winter Olympics in Italy next month, the Department of Homeland Security confirmed, stoking a backlash among Italians angered by the conduct of ICE agents in Minneapolis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents will join a security team from the State Department at the Olympics \u201cto vet and mitigate risks from transnational criminal organizations,\u201d D.H.S. said in a statement attributed to Tricia McLaughlin, the department\u2019s assistant secretary for public affairs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAll security operations remain under Italian authority,\u201d the statement said, adding that ICE \u201cdoes not conduct immigration enforcement operations in foreign countries.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio are expected to attend the start of the games on Feb. 6, and 232 American athletes are set to compete in the events.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a statement Tuesday, the  State Department said that \u201cas in previous Olympic events, multiple federal agencies are supporting the Diplomatic Security Service, including Homeland Security Investigations, ICE\u2019s investigative component.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite the caveats by U.S. officials, news of the agency\u2019s involvement has spurred outcry in Italy, particularly after the killing by ICE and Border Patrol agents of two American citizens during recent protests in Minneapolis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Italian government said on Tuesday that it was seeking clarification from American diplomats after reports emerged over the weekend that ICE would attend the Games in Italy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Antonio Tajani, Italy\u2019s foreign minister, told reporters that ICE agents would not be allowed to deploy on Italian streets. He added that \u201cpublic order during the Olympics\u201d would be done only by the Italian national and local police but stopped short of saying that U.S. agents would be limited to operational rooms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Italian government\u2019s intervention followed growing outrage from Italian politicians over the agency\u2019s presence at the Games.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Giuseppe Sala, the mayor of Milan, said in a telephone interview that the Italian government should \u201csay no to Trump.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr. Sala added: \u201cBringing to Milan a militia which distinguished itself \u2014 this is not my opinion \u2014 with criminal acts, which kills, which enters in the homes of American citizens without authorization, I do not think that that is a good idea.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Elly Schlein, leader of the country\u2019s center-left Democratic Party, said in an interview that she was concerned about the arrival in Italy of \u201can armed militia that is not respecting the law on American soil.\u201d She added: \u201cAnd so there is the concern that they would not respect them on Italian soil either.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After the first reports on the subject emerged over the weekend, Matteo Piantedosi, Italy\u2019s interior minister, told reporters on Monday that the situation was \u201ca controversy over nothing,\u201d adding that the U.S. government had not yet confirmed that ICE officers would join the American delegation. \u201cBut I specify \u2014 whatever the communication will be, ICE, as such, will never operate in Italy,\u201d Mr. Piantedosi said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In separate remarks over the weekend, Mr. Piantedosi said that foreign delegations had the right to choose who staff their security teams, and that \u201cI don\u2019t see what the problem is.\u201d He added that it was \u201cabsolutely forbidden\u201d for foreign officers \u201cto carry out police or similar activities on our soil, especially if they are related to combating immigration. Anyone who, while engaging in institutional politics, ignores these basic rules and claims otherwise is either incompetent or acting in bad faith.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr. Piantedosi\u2019s weekend comments generated a furor. Writing in La Stampa, an Italian newspaper, journalist Francesco Malfetano described ICE as an institution that \u201cfor many, not only across the Atlantic, is synonymous with fear.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

U.S. law enforcement had a more limited role in the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. Homeland Security Investigations, a branch of ICE, collaborated with French law enforcement to \u201cshare best practices\u201d ahead of the games.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On Tuesday afternoon, Mr. Piantedosi met with U.S. ambassador to Italy, Tilman J. Fertitta, to discuss the presence of ICE agents at the Games. In a statement, Mr. Piantedosi said the Italian authorities would coordinate with the U.S. agents \u201cfor the protection of American athletes and delegations in the coming weeks,\u201d and reiterated that \u201cICE agents will have no external public order function.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n