The 2026 Winter Olympics in Cortino, Milan, will begin on February 6, and the latest news about ICE’s involvement is shocking.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents will help support U.S. security operations at next month’s Winter Olympics in Italy, a spokesman told AFP.

“During the Olympics, ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations division is supporting the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Diplomatic Security and host nations in reviewing and mitigating risks from transnational criminal organizations,” the agency said in a statement.

“All security operations remain under Italian jurisdiction.”

“Obviously, ICE does not conduct immigration enforcement operations in foreign countries,” it added.

The possible presence of ICE agents at the Milan-Cortina Games from February 6 to 22 has sparked huge debate in Italy, following outcry over the deaths of two civilians in an immigration crackdown in Minneapolis.

Italian authorities initially denied ICE’s existence and then tried to downplay its role, suggesting its agents would only help with the security of the U.S. delegation.

US Vice President Vance and Secretary of State Rubio attended the opening ceremony in Milan on February 6.

On Monday, the president of the northern Lombardy region, which hosts several Olympic events, said ICE’s involvement was limited to monitoring Vance and Rubio.

“It will only serve as a defense but I am sure nothing will happen,” Attilio Fontana told reporters.

However, his office later issued a statement saying he did not have any information about their existence but was responding to a hypothetical question.

President Donald Trump has deployed thousands of ICE agents to cities across the United States to crack down on undocumented immigrants.

Their actions sparked widespread protests and the recent killings of 37-year-old US citizens Renee Good and Alex Pretti on the streets of Minneapolis sparked outrage.

The United States will host 2028 summer olympicsthe Olympic Games were held in Los Angeles.