Italy’s Winter Olympics security plan keeps ICE in advisory role

Italy to control Olympic security operations with 6,000 officers, drones and cyberunit, but ICE will be present.Published On 29 Jan 2026Italy has detailed a sweeping security plan for the Winter Olympics, stressing it will keep command of all operations after news emerged that United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) staff would be assisting the US delegation.The Games will be one of the most complex security operations Italy has had to manage, with the ⁠event split between two main hubs, Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, with additional events held elsewhere across the north.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4Mbappe blasts Real Madrid after Champions League loss at Benficalist 2 of 4Senegal and Morocco handed fines and bans after AFCON final farcelist 3 of 4Barcelona claim Champions League last-16 spot, but its the playoffs for PSGlist 4 of 4‘Stay away from the USA’: Fans urged to boycott FIFA World Cup over Trumpend of listAbout 3,500 athletes will take part in ​the event, which runs from February 6 to February 22, with the government expecting some two million visitors, including ‍60,000 for the opening ceremony in Milan’s San Siro stadium.The US delegation will be led by US Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi said the security operation blends field deployments, intelligence-led prevention and, for the first time at a major event in Italy, a 24-hour cybersecurity ‍control room.About 6,000 law ⁠enforcement officers will guard multiple Olympic sites, supported by no-fly and restricted-access areas.Competing nations often bring their own security personnel. In that vein, the US Department of State said on Tuesday that several federal agencies, including ICE, would help protect the visiting Americans, as they have at past Olympics.ICE and Border Patrol agents have drawn heavy criticism in the US over their enforcement of President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown, with images of their actions shocking many in Italy, traditionally a close US ally.