The officers are supposed to support the security service of the US State Department. There is resistance from the hosts Italy.
dpa | officer the controversial immigration agency ICE are supposed to be involved in on-site security at the Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo on behalf of the US government. This was reported by the AP news agency, citing the US Embassy in Rome. The ICE officers are supposed to support the security service of the US State Department and not carry out immigration control measures.
As things currently stand, the US Vice President will attend the grand opening ceremony of the Winter Games on February 6th J.D. Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio attend. The presence and work of ICE officers should be limited to their safety. Federal authorities had already supported security for US diplomats at previous Olympic Games, AP reported.
When contacted, the International Olympic Committee said security at the Olympic Games was the responsibility of the host country authorities. They would work closely with the participating delegations. The IOC otherwise referred to the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee.
Milan mayor rejects ICE
The possible deployment of officials from the authority is causing excitement in the host country of the Winter Games. The mayor of Milan, Giuseppe Sala, rejects their presence. “As mayor of Milan and as an Italian, I definitely do not want this private police force to come to Milan. It is a police force that acts and kills completely illegally.“
The authority has come under criticism after the fatal shooting of two US citizens during their operations. At the beginning of January, Renée Good was killed by shots from an ICE officer. Last Saturday, nurse Alex Pretti was shot dead by federal officers during an operation. There are protests across the country against US President Donald Trump’s deportation policy and the actions of the emergency services.
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