The US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency will send agents to support security at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina, Italy, which start on February 6. ICE confirmed that its Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) unit will assist in vetting risks from international criminal groups for the US Department of State and host nation. The agency said it will not carry out immigration enforcement outside the US. However, this announcement sparked anger in Italy, especially in Milan. Mayor Beppe Sala called ICE "a militia that kills... of course they're not welcome in Milan" during an interview on Italian radio. The criticism comes after ICE agents were involved in two fatal shootings in Minneapolis, raising fears about their presence on Italian streets. Italy's interior minister, Matteo Pantedosi, initially seemed unaware of ICE's planned arrival but said foreign delegations can choose their own security teams. Later, he clarified that ICE agents would not operate independently in Italy and that security remains fully under Italian control. The controversy grew stronger when Italian journalists covering ICE activities in Minneapolis were threatened by ICE agents. The governor of Lombardy region said ICE agents would mainly protect US officials like Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio during the Games. Political opponents accused Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's government of being submissive to US interests due to the silence on the issue. Despite reassurances from Italian officials, Milan's mayor remains firmly opposed to ICE agents' presence, citing concerns they do not align with Italian democratic security methods.