In the next nine days, 232 members of Team USA, including athletes, coaches, medical staff, and support teams, will arrive in Italy for the 2026 Winter Olympics. With such a large delegation, the US has decided to send some of its own security staff– agents from the The United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)–to Italy. And that decision hasn’t gone down well with Italian officials.

US officials claim that the ICE agents will not be enforcing immigration laws and that they will not be patrolling the Italian streets. Instead, they will assist the Diplomatic Security Service of the US Department and cooperate with the Italian authorities in terms of the threat assessment and intelligence sharing.

“At the Olympics, ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations is supporting the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service and host nation to vet and mitigate risks from transnational criminal organizations,” DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin told CNN. “All security operations remain under Italian authority.”

The US Olympic and Paralympic Committee also stated that, “As with every Olympic and Paralympic Games for more than three decades, the USOPC works in coordination with DSS, the International Olympic Committee, and the host nation to support Games security planning.”

Despite these assurances the presence of ICE agents has drawn strong criticism in Italy.

“They are not welcome in Milan, without a doubt,” Milan Mayor Giuseppe Sala told local radio, before adding that they “don’t need ICE” to implement security at the Olympics. A big reason for the backlash is ICE’s current image.

The agency has faced intense criticism in the U.S after recent aggressive raids and deadly shootings by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis. Many Italian politicians have reacted strongly to news of ICE’s involvement at the Games.  Interestingly, the ICE move comes at a time when other concerns are also being raised about US athletes.

Rising foreign policy tensions could shadow Team USA in Milan‑Cortina

Lawmakers and analysts warn that President Donald Trump’s recent foreign policy moves could make it harder for Team USA to feel welcome at the Winter Olympics.

Trump began the year with a military operation in Venezuela to capture President Nicolas Maduro and sparked international tensions by suggesting the US should take control of Greenland, a Danish territory and NATO ally – a plan firmly rejected by both Greenland and Denmark. Trump has also also threatened tariffs against European nations that didn’t support his Arctic ambitions.

“It’s going to be really tough for the athletes because unfortunately what the president has done has created so many divisions with long-term allies of ours. He’s talking about taking over other countries and the people of those countries are legitimately upset,” said Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D‑Wash.)

Foreign policy expert Kristian Coates Ulrichsen noted that politics and sports are often intertwined at major European events. He warned there’s a strong chance US athletes could face booing or hostile reactions, similar to the reception American competitors received at the 2004 Athens Olympics amid Iraq war tensions.

With US foreign policy proving unpopular in parts of the world, keeping sports and politics separate will be a real test for Team USA at these Winter Olympics.