MILAN — A diplomatic firestorm has ignited on the eve of the 2026 Winter Olympics, as the Trump administration’s decision to deploy U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents to Italy has met with fierce resistance from local officials and a public already on edge.
The controversy, which has transformed a sporting celebration into a high-stakes standoff, centers on the arrival of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) personnel—a branch of ICE—to support the security detail for the U.S. delegation, including Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. While Washington insists the agents will serve only in a supportive, non-operational capacity, the move has touched a nerve in a country deeply skeptical of the agency’s recent domestic record.
“This is a militia that kills,” Milan Mayor Giuseppe Sala told RTL radio on Tuesday, his voice echoing the sentiment of thousands who have signed petitions to block the deployment. “It is clear that they are not welcome in Milan. Can’t we just say no to Trump for once?”
A Reputation Precedes Them
The Italian backlash is not happening in a vacuum. It is fueled by recent, lethal events in the United States that have dominated European news cycles:
- The Minneapolis Shootings: The fatal shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti by federal agents earlier this month have become symbols of what Italian critics call “uncontrolled paramilitary tactics.”
- The RAI Incident: Over the weekend, Italian state broadcaster RAI aired footage showing ICE agents in Minneapolis threatening to smash the windows of their news vehicle—an image that has become a viral rallying cry for Italian opposition parties.
European Parliament member Alessandro Zan went further, labeling the agency “Trump’s private police force” and stating that Italy must not play host to those who “trample on human rights.”
Washington’s Defense: ‘A Standard Support Role’
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has moved quickly to downplay the deployment as a routine procedure. In a statement, DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin emphasized that ICE has supported the State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service at previous Games, including Paris 2024.
The Official U.S. Remit:
- No Enforcement: Agents will not conduct immigration checks or arrests on Italian soil.
- Intel Only: The focus is on “vetting and mitigating risks from transnational criminal organizations.”
- Italian Command: All security operations remain under the ultimate authority of the Italian police.
Despite these assurances, the distinction between ICE’s “investigative arm” (HSI) and its “deportation arm” (ERO) has been lost on a skeptical Italian public.
The Meloni Government’s Tightrope
The deployment has placed Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in a political vice. While her right-wing government has nurtured close ties with the Trump administration, the optics of “American militias” in Italian streets are proving difficult to manage.
Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi initially denied that ICE would have any role, later clarifying that while HSI experts would be in the “control room” at the U.S. Consulate, they would never be “operational personnel.”
“I don’t see what the problem is,” Piantedosi remarked, attempting to cool the rhetoric. “It is very normal for delegations to be accompanied by their own security.”
Protests on the Horizon
The friction is expected to culminate on February 6, the day of the Opening Ceremony. Trade unions and activist groups have already announced an “ICE OUT – From Minneapolis to Milan” rally, threatening to overshadow the parade of athletes with a parade of protesters.
As the Olympic flame arrives in Milan, the “friendly games” find themselves caught in a geopolitical chill. For many in Italy, the presence of ICE is less about security and more about a new, assertive era of American power that refuses to stop at the border.