A division of the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) will be present at the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics (February 6-22) to help ensure the event's security, it confirmed Tuesday, sparking strong reactions in Italy.

“At the Olympic Games, ICE’s Homeland Security Service (HSI) will support the U.S. State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service, as well as the host country, in assessing and mitigating risks related to transnational criminal organizations,” ICE announced in a statement sent to AFP on Tuesday.

Thousands of ICE agents were deployed by President Donald Trump to several American cities as part of a campaign against illegal immigration. Their actions sparked widespread protests, and the recent killings by their agents of two American citizens, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, both 37 years old, in the streets of Minneapolis (northern United States), have provoked outrage.

The ICE's internal security department, which will be mobilized during the Milan-Cortina Olympics, fights internationally against drug trafficking and terrorism, according to the ICE website.

Another division

The agents accused of violence in the United States are part of another division (Enforcement and Removal Operations), responsible in particular for deportations, but this has not prevented controversy in Italy.

“As with previous Olympic events, numerous federal agencies support the Diplomatic Security Service, including the Department of Homeland Security’s ICE,” a State Department spokesperson said.

“For the Olympics, the United States will set up an operations room at its consulate in Milan where representatives of American agencies potentially interested in the event will be present,” Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi stated in a press release issued after a meeting with the US ambassador in Rome. “Experts from the Department of Homeland Security will also be located in this same room,” he added.

"Issue"

According to Mr. Piantedosi, these experts are present “in more than 50 countries and for years in Italy as well”, stressing that “security operations on the territory are the exclusive responsibility of the Italian authorities”.

He specified that approximately 6,000 law enforcement officers would be deployed, along with the use of drones and other aerial surveillance methods, to ensure security. “They are not welcome in Milan, there is no doubt about it,” stated the city's mayor, Giuseppe Sala, on RTL 102.5 radio.

Mr. Sala, the center-left mayor of one of the host cities for the Olympics, considered the presence of this "militia that kills" and "enters people's homes by issuing itself authorization" to be a "problem".

"I wonder if, one day, we will be able to say no to (US President Donald) Trump," he added. "I'm not talking about creating a diplomatic problem, but just saying no."

“ICE cowboys cannot set foot in Italy for the simple reason that, in our country, it is a state of law, and we want to keep it that way,” said MP Daniela Ruffino of the Azione party (center) on Monday, according to the AGI news agency.

Vance and Rubio in Milan

Italian authorities initially denied rumors of the presence of ICE agents, then attempted to downplay their role, suggesting they would only help ensure the safety of the American delegation.

US Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio are among those scheduled to attend the opening ceremony of the Olympics at the San Siro stadium in Milan on February 6.

The protection of American citizens during the Olympic Games abroad is traditionally provided by the State Department's Diplomatic Security Service.

Giovanni Malagò, president of the Olympic organizing committee, said Tuesday that he believed ICE agents would be present "for high-ranking U.S. government officials" and would have "nothing to do with the security of the Games." "This isn't about the Olympic Games, it's about individuals," Malagò clarified.

The International Olympic Committee, contacted by AFP, clarified that "the security of the Olympic Games is the responsibility of the host country's authorities, who work closely with the participating delegations." "We invite you to contact the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC)," it added.