Milan mayor says ICE security ‘not welcome’ at Winter Olympics
Milan’s mayor, Giuseppe Sala, said U.S.Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is “not welcome” at next month’s Winter Olympics after reports that the agency will help provide extra security.Sala criticized ICE over recent fatal shootings linked to its operations in Minnesota and called the agency a “militia that kills,” urging Italian refusal of its presence. ICE confirmed participation, saying its Homeland Security Investigations personnel will support the U.S. Diplomatic Security Service and host nation efforts to vet threats from transnational criminal groups, and that officers will not conduct immigration enforcement abroad and will operate under Italian authority. italy’s Interior Ministry noted the U.S. has not finalized the security detail makeup, and the number of ICE officers to be deployed is unclear. The Olympics run Feb. 6–22; U.S. officials including vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio are expected at the opening ceremony.
Milan mayor says ICE security is ‘not welcome’ at Winter Olympics
The mayor of Milan, Italy, has said Immigration and Customs Enforcement is “not welcome” at the Winter Olympics early next month after reports confirmed the U.S. agency will provide extra security at the games.
Upon learning the news, Mayor Giuseppe Sala criticized ICE over its role in two fatal shootings in Minnesota this month.
“This is a militia that kills,” he said in an Italian radio interview. “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?”
The ICE-linked security team will support diplomatic security details in Milan without carrying out any immigration enforcement operations, according to the Associated Press. ICE confirmed its participation in the security detail.
“At the Olympics, ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is supporting the US Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service and host nation to vet and mitigate risks from transnational criminal organizations,” the immigration agency said in a statement, adding that “all security operations remain under Italian authority.”
ICE also stressed its officers do “not conduct immigration enforcement operations in foreign countries.”
It’s unclear how many ICE officers will be deployed to the Winter Olympics, scheduled from Feb. 6 to Feb. 22.
Vice President JD Vance, second lady Usha Vance, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio are set to attend the sporting event’s opening ceremony on Feb. 6. There is no indication President Donald Trump will be in attendance.
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Italy’s Interior Ministry said the United States has not confirmed the makeup of its security detail but noted that it doesn’t appear ICE “will act as an escort to the American delegation,” made up of the three White House officials at this time.
Meanwhile, ICE has been met with widespread opposition to its immigration actions in Minneapolis from local residents and state politicians. The heated situation has led to two separate officer-involved shootings, one of which killed Renee Good earlier this month and the other claimed the life of Alex Pretti over the weekend. Their deaths have motivated anti-ICE protesters to continue resisting federal law enforcement.
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