Italy objects to ICE presence at Winter Olympics

Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement are focused on domestic issues. So it might come as a surprise to learn that a division of ICE routinely participates in international events such as the Feb. 6-22 Winter Games in Milan, Italy. Or that ICE has agents in more than 50 countries.

It’s definitely a rude surprise to Italian officials and shows that the world is watching what’s happening in Minneapolis.

“[ICE] is a militia that kills,” Giuseppe Sala, mayor of Milan said. “It’s clear that they are not welcome in Milan, there’s no doubt about it. Can’t we just say no to Trump for once? We can take care of their security ourselves. We don’t need ICE.”

Alessandro Zan, an Italian member of the European parliament representing the centre-left Democratic party, objected on Twitter/X:

The ICE Homeland Security Investigations division will support the U.S. State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service, according to MSN. This division is “not the agency’s operational arm.”

The division will “vet and mitigate risks from transnational criminal organizations,” ICE said in a statement reported by AFP.

This report from Variety shows that ICE has hit close to home for Italy:

The controversy comes amid political backlash in Italy over footage that surfaced on social media on Sunday of two Italian state broadcaster RAI journalists who were reporting in [Minneapolis] for a RAI show called “In Mezz’Ora.” Their car was stopped and surrounded by ICE agents who threatened to break their car window and extract them from the vehicle. Italy’s centre-left opposition on Sunday called on the country’s right-wing government, headed by premier Giorgia Meloni, to protest to the U.S. over the incident.

U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio are scheduled to attend the opening ceremony on Feb. 6.

Since the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee have worked with the State Department Diplomatic Security Service to provide security for American athletes.

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