Tensions flare in Milan over U.S. ICE agents at Winter Olympics

As the Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics kick off on 6 February, a wave of protests has swept through Italy’s fashion capital, with demonstrators railing against the presence of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents tasked with supporting American security operations.

On 31 January, hundreds gathered in Milan’s central Piazza Duomo, chanting slogans like “ICE out of Italy” and waving banners decrying the agency as a symbol of American overreach. The unrest, amplified by recent US controversies involving ICE, underscores a growing transatlantic rift over law enforcement practices.

The controversy erupted earlier in the week when Italian media reported that a unit from ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) would assist in vetting risks and providing logistical support for the US delegation, including Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio

HSI, which focuses on transnational crime rather than domestic immigration enforcement, has emphasized that agents will operate under Italian authority, stationed in control rooms without street-level duties.

US officials, including a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson, clarified that no immigration operations would occur on Italian soil, framing the deployment as routine for major international events.

Yet, Italian outrage has been swift and vocal. Milan Mayor Giuseppe “Beppe” Sala, a center-left figure, branded ICE “a militia that kills” in a radio interview with RTL 102.5, referencing high-profile US incidents like fatal shootings in Minneapolis that have spotlighted the agency’s aggressive tactics.

“They are not welcome in Milan, without a doubt,” Sala declared, arguing that Italy’s own forces – police, Carabinieri, and Guardia di Finanza – are sufficient for security.

Similar sentiments echoed in Rome, where a smaller protest unfolded outside the US Embassy, with politicians like Riccardo Magi of +Europa criticizing the Meloni government’s apparent acquiescence.

Credible Italian outlets have covered the backlash extensively. Corriere della Sera detailed a vigil in Rome demanding “No ICE at the Olympics,” linking it to fears of importing US-style policing.

La Repubblica highlighted American expats joining Milan protests, with one US citizen telling reporters, “They’re dangerous and we don’t want them here.”

ANSA, Italy’s leading news agency, reported clarifications from police sources that ICE’s role would be limited, but noted ongoing petitions and skepticism from figures like European Parliament member Ilaria Salis, who accused the government of embracing “Trump’s authoritarian model.”

This Italian furor mirrors broader European disdain for ICE, which stems from the agency’s role in the Trump administration’s hardline immigration policies. In the US, ICE has faced widespread “disgust” – as protesters in both countries put it – over family separations, workplace raids, and recent violence, fueling calls to abolish or reform it.

Europe’s shared revulsion is evident in Italy’s response: a nation with its own migration debates views ICE as antithetical to democratic norms, evoking memories of authoritarian overreach. As one La Repubblica op-ed noted, allowing such agents risks normalizing “militia-style” security, eroding trust in multilateral events like the Olympics.

Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani has downplayed the issue, assuring no ICE patrols on streets, but critics argue it sets a dangerous precedent.

With the Games days away, the protests highlight how US domestic controversies can spill over, straining alliances. For Italy, hosting the world while rejecting perceived symbols of repression, the Olympics may test unity – as much as athletic prowess.

Caption: Demonstrators take part in a ‘No ICE’ protest in Milan, northern Italy, 31 January 2026, against the planned presence of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents during the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics. Protesters are criticizing the agency’s security role following recent controversial fatal shootings involving federal agents in the United States. EPA/MATTEO CORNER