by InTrieste
Italy’s interior minister, Matteo Piantedosi, on Saturday rejected reports suggesting that agents from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement would be involved in security operations at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, saying that no such arrangement exists and that Olympic security would remain under Italian control.
The remarks came after Il Fatto Quotidiano, an Italian newspaper, reported that ICE personnel were already present in Italy and would take part in policing or security management during the Games. The report prompted criticism from opposition lawmakers, who called on the government to clarify whether the United States planned to deploy ICE agents to protect its Olympic delegation.
Speaking on the sidelines of the International Tourism Forum in Milan, Mr. Piantedosi said there was no record of any plan involving ICE. “And even if it were true,” he added, “the security coordination would remain entirely in Italian hands.”
Later on Saturday, Mr. Piantedosi expanded on his comments in a post on X, stating that the U.S. Olympic delegation — as is customary at international events — may be accompanied by its own security personnel, selected independently by American authorities. He emphasized, however, that such personnel would be limited to providing passive escort services for athletes.
The minister stressed that all police activity in Italy is “directed and managed exclusively by the Italian authorities,” and said it was categorically prohibited for members of foreign security services to carry out law enforcement or similar activities on Italian territory, particularly in matters related to immigration enforcement.
“Agents serving foreign delegations — from the United States or any other country — cannot conduct police activities on Italian soil,” Mr. Piantedosi wrote.
He concluded by criticizing what he described as misleading claims surrounding the issue, saying that public officials who suggested otherwise were either uninformed or acting in bad faith.
The Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics are scheduled to take place from Feb. 6 to Feb. 22, 2026. The opening ceremony will be held at San Siro Stadium in Milan.
