US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents are set to be deployed in Milan and Cortina during the Winter Olympics. This decision was reportedly confirmed by the US Embassy in Rome.
The ICE agents are expected to serve a security function throughout the event, which begins on February 6 in Italy. They will assist with diplomatic security arrangements and will not be involved in immigration enforcement activities.
Despite this intended role, the announcement of ICE's presence has raised concerns against the backdrop of growing discontent in the United States, particularly following recent federal actions in Minnesota under the previous Trump administration.
The timing of this announcement coincided with the recent fatalities of two US citizens involving federal officers in Minneapolis within a short span. Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old intensive care nurse, was fatally shot after an altercation with federal agents during a Department of Homeland Security operation on a Saturday. His death occurred just two weeks after 37-year-old Renee Good was killed in her vehicle by an ICE officer.
These incidents have ignited a considerable political uproar in the US, leading to apprehension over ICE agents in Italy. Milan's Mayor, Giuseppe Sala, expressed strong disapproval of ICE's presence in his city, emphasizing that it will be hosting many ice sports during the Winter Games from February 6 to 22.
Sala criticized ICE, referring to them as a militia with a history of violence. He firmly stated on RTL Radio 102 that such agents were undeniably unwelcome in Milan, expressing concern about their involvement in community matters without appropriate oversight.
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