The US immigration agency, whose officers have been involved in two fatal shootings in Minneapolis, has confirmed it will send agents to support security operations during the Winter Olympics, which begin in Italy on February 6.
The confirmation came from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), after reports that caused alarm and anger in Italy. Milan Mayor Beppe Sala told Italian radio: “This is a militia that kills… they are certainly not welcome in Milan.”
An ICE spokesperson stressed that "all security operations remain under Italian authority" and clarified that the agency will not conduct immigration enforcement operations outside the US.
The Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) unit is supporting the US State Department's Diplomatic Security Service and local authorities to verify and mitigate threats from transnational criminal organizations, according to the statement. The statement was provided to AFP and confirmed by US embassy sources to the Associated Press.
Italy's Interior Minister, Matteo Pantedosi, initially said he was unaware of the arrival of American immigration officials and declared that foreign delegations could choose their own security, saying: "I don't see where the problem is, it's something very normal."
However, after the release of footage from Minneapolis, where a person was shot by federal agents, reactions in Italy increased. Media outlets reported that two journalists from public television Rai were threatened by ICE officials while reporting in Minneapolis, where an agent warned that he would break their car window if they continued filming.
The Milan–Cortina Winter Olympics will take place from February 6 to 22, while the issue of ICE's presence in Italy is expected to remain a topic of public and political debate.
