Agents from ICE, the United States immigration agency that Donald Trump’s government has ostensibly used, will participate in security operations during the Winter Olympic Games, in Milan and Cortina, Italy, in February, a spokesperson told AFP, this Tuesday (27).
The news of the presence of the American migration force is criticized by Italians. “This is a militia that kills. It is clear that they are not welcome in Milan,” said the city’s mayor, Giuseppe Sala.
“At the Olympic Games, ICE’s homeland security service will be providing support to the United States Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service and the host country to examine and mitigate the risks that transnational criminal organizations pose,” the migration agency said in a statement to AFP.
“All security operations remain under Italian authority,” he added, specifying that “Obviously, ICE does not carry out migration control operations in foreign countries.”
The Homeland Security Service (HSI) is a federal agency that, under the umbrella of ICE, investigates a wide range of crimes — cybercrime, child trafficking, weapons and drug trafficking, among others — and which, according to its website, is also in charge of protecting American citizens “at home, abroad and online”.
The possible presence of ICE agents at the Games, which will be held from February 6 to 22, raises a huge debate in Italy following outrage over the deaths of two American citizens in operations against immigrants in Minneapolis.
Italian authorities initially denied ICE’s presence and then tried to downplay their role, indicating that they would only help with the security of the American delegation.
American Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio will attend the opening ceremony in Milan on February 6.
