Outrage has erupted in Italy over reports that a unit of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) will be involved in security operations for the upcoming Winter Olympics, set to take place from February 6 to 22. The controversy centers on Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), a branch of ICE that deals with cross-border crimes. While HSI officers often assist with security at international events, many Italians associated the agency with the Trump-era immigration crackdowns, which have drawn widespread criticism for their harsh and sometimes violent enforcement tactics.

ICE officials clarified that only HSI officers will be involved, in a strictly supporting role, and that the Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) department responsible for immigration enforcement will have no presence in Italy. According to ICE, the HSI mission is limited to assisting the U.S. State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service and Italian authorities in vetting threats from transnational criminal organizations. All operational authority, the agency emphasized, remains with Italian security forces.

Despite these assurances, Italian public figures and politicians expressed strong opposition. Milan Mayor Giuseppe Sala called ICE "not welcome," labeling it a militia responsible for killings and questioning why Italy must accommodate U.S. decisions. Maurizio Lupi, a centrist politician in Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s coalition, criticized the move as “sheer idiocy.” Alessandro Zan, European Parliament member from the Democratic Party, described ICE’s involvement as “unacceptable” and incompatible with Italian democratic and human rights values. Similarly, Italia Viva, led by former PM Matteo Renzi, demanded that ICE agents be barred from entry, while the USB trade union announced an “ICE OUT” protest during the opening ceremony in Milan.

Italian authorities have attempted to downplay the situation. Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani stressed that HSI agents are distinct from the ERO officers enforcing immigration policies in the U.S., noting, “It’s not like the SS are coming.” Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi reinforced that ICE “will never operate in Italy,” and said he had met with the U.S. ambassador to clarify the matter. Giovanni Malagò, head of the Milan-Cortina Olympic Organizing Committee, confirmed that any U.S. security presence will serve only high-ranking government officials, not general Olympic security.

The International Olympic Committee also emphasized that overall responsibility for Olympic security lies with the host country, in coordination with participating delegations. U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio are expected to attend the opening ceremony in Milan, which partly explains the HSI deployment.

Nevertheless, public sentiment in Italy remains sharply critical, fueled by recent U.S. incidents such as the deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis during immigration enforcement operations. The presence of ICE, even in a limited role, has reignited concerns over the image of the United States and its enforcement practices abroad, leaving many Italians questioning the appropriateness of including an agency so closely associated with controversial domestic crackdowns.