Mayor of Milan says ICE agents are ‘not welcome’ at Winter Olympics as backlash grows
Italy outraged at US decision to deploy ICE agents at Winter Olympics
- The Mayor of Milan, Giuseppe Sala, has stated that US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents are "not welcome" at the upcoming Winter Olympics in Italy, amid growing backlash.
- The decision to deploy ICE officials for a security role at the Games has sparked outrage in Italy, following recent fatal shootings by agents in Minneapolis and threats made to Italian journalists.
- Thousands of Italians have signed petitions demanding ICE be barred, with politicians from various parties urging Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni to prevent their attendance.
- Despite Italian officials raising safety concerns and initial denials from some regional leaders, US officials confirmed that a branch of ICE's Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) will support diplomatic security.
- ICE clarified that its agents will not conduct immigration enforcement operations in Italy but will instead "vet and mitigate risks" from transnational criminal organisations, with all security operations remaining under Italian authority.