Italy’s Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi will meet this Tuesday with the U.S. ambassador in Rome to “clarify” the involvement of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents during the upcoming Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics.
This was confirmed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Antonio Tajani, who tried to defuse the political tension generated by the possible deployment of this U.S. security force on Italian soil by announcing the meeting to clarify the situation.
Italy clarifies that ICE will not patrol the streets
“Let’s be clear: it’s not that they (ICE agents) come to maintain public order in the street. They come to collaborate in the operational rooms.”
Tajani explained to questions from the local media on the sidelines of an official event at the Quirinal.
The meeting seeks to resolve the controversy generated in recent days by the contradictory versions offered by both parties.
While the U.S. Embassy in Rome stated that its agents will provide support to the Diplomatic Security Service to mitigate risks from criminal organizations, Piantedosi had previously stated that ICE would not operate on Italian territory, defending that security is the exclusive competence of the State.
Italy defends security control
The Interior Minister insisted on Monday that “order in the national territory is guaranteed by the Italian State”.
Calling the criticism of an alleged operational deployment of the U.S. corps as unfounded controversy.
However, the presence of ICE members has raised concerns in Italy.
This in a context marked by the recent raids against immigrants ordered by U.S. President Donald Trump.
As well as for the murder of Alex Pretti by gunshots fired by agents of this body.
Italian opposition rejects ICE presence in Milan 2026
They are coming to collaborate in the operations rooms
Antonio Tajani
The idea of an ICE deployment has also been rejected by the Italian opposition, starting with Democratic Party (PD) Senator Cristina Tajani.
He denounced that the image projected by this body in recent months is “the farthest thing from the spirit of inclusion and coexistence” typical of an Olympic event.
For his part, the mayor of Milan, host of the Olympic Games, Giuseppe Sala, on Tuesday described ICE as a “militia that kills” in statements to the RTL 102.5 radio station.
From February 6 to 22, Italy hosts the 25th Olympic Winter Games in the cities of Milan and Cortina (north) with the presence of athletes from 93 countries from all over the world.
With information from EFE
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