Italian political leaders and members of the public have voiced opposition to reported plans by the United States to deploy personnel from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to Italy during this year’s Winter Olympics.
Milan Mayor Giuseppe Sala said ICE agents are “not welcome” in the city, expressing concern over the agency’s controversial role in immigration enforcement in the United States. His remarks were echoed by several opposition figures, including former Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte, who called on authorities to prevent the agents from entering the country.
Public opposition has also gathered momentum online. A petition urging Italy to block ICE personnel at the border attracted more than 30,000 signatures within hours of being launched.
Following the backlash, Italy’s Interior Ministry clarified that the involvement would be limited. In a statement, the ministry said personnel from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) — an investigative branch within ICE — would operate only from US diplomatic offices and would not conduct activities on Italian territory. The ministry stressed that the unit is not the operational arm typically associated with immigration enforcement.
According to a US official familiar with the arrangements, the agents are expected to form part of the broader security detail for Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio during the Games. The official said HSI personnel would work alongside the US State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service, while Italian authorities would retain overall control of security operations at the Olympics, which are scheduled to begin on 6 February.
While the participation of US federal agencies in overseas security planning for major international events has previously been routine, ICE’s role has drawn heightened scrutiny due to its involvement in domestic immigration crackdowns and broader political controversies in the United States.
Attilio Fontana, president of Italy’s Lombardy region, sought to ease tensions earlier in the week, telling reporters that the US personnel would be present solely in a protective capacity. He added that cooperation between international law enforcement agencies is standard practice for events of this scale.
The issue highlights how domestic US policy debates are increasingly influencing diplomatic and public reactions abroad, particularly in high-profile global settings such as the Olympic Games.
