MILAN — United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents are not part of the Team USA delegation at the 2026 Winter Olympics, a U.S. Olympic official said while addressing questions about the protests and concerns over ICE contributing to security in Italy.
‘I can tell you unequivocally, there are no ICE agents that are part of the team USA delegation on the ground here in Milan,” U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee Chief Security Officer Nicole Deal said during a news conference Thursday. ‘When it comes to securing major events, a lot of people don’t know what the capacities and the capabilities and the resources that are needed, so there’s a lot of misinformation and assumptions that are made.
‘I think this inaccuracy that ICE is here on the ground, securing games was one of those. So, I’m glad we’re able to set the record straight and provide on-the-ground truth that ICE is not part of the Team USA delegation.’
When asked to clarify whether ICE agents are in Milan as part of the U.S. Embassy’s overall security plan for the Olympics, Deal said, ‘I can’t speak on behalf of the State Department or the embassy.’
The opening ceremony for the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympics is Friday, and Deal said security is expecting protests.
Government officials previously said Homeland Security Investigations, a unit within ICE that focuses on cross-border crimes, frequently sends officers to overseas events to assist with security and would be part of operations for the Olympics. HSI officers are separate from the ICE arm at the forefront of the immigration crackdown known as Enforcement and Removal Operations, and there was no indication ERO officers were being sent to Italy, according to the Associated Press.
‘This is a militia that kills, a militia that enters into the homes of people, signing their own permission slips,’ Sala said.
U.S. Ambassador to Italy, Tilman J. Fertitta, told The Athletic the ICE agents’ role at the Olympics is strictly advisory and intelligence-based.
Deal said she has not heard of any athlete concerns related to ICE or the protests, and said the USOPC has “an extensive Games readiness program.”
U.S. Olympic winter sport national governing bodies changed the name of their Milan hospitality space over concerns about the ICE protests in Italy. U.S. Figure Skating, USA Hockey and U.S. Speedskating decided to turn The Ice House into The Winter House.
Team USA plans for protests, backlash
The political climate of the U.S. raises questions about how Team USA athletes will be received at the Olympics, but USOPC CEO Sarah Hirschman said she doesn’t anticipate anti-American sentiment.
‘While I don’t anticipate there to be a negative environment, particularly in venues and on the field of play, that tends to be a very, very positive environment, and we anticipate the same to be true here,’ Hirschman said. ‘We also we want to be prepared and ensure that athletes feel supported in everything they do, and done our job to make sure that that’s happened.’
An environmental protest is expected in Milan as the Olympic torch makes its way into the city Thursday, but Deal said she is tracking another protest happening Saturday. The focus of that protest was not shared during the news conference.
‘Normally, we do put a notice up to the delegation, just letting them know where the protests are,’ Deal said. ‘So when they’re reading about the city, they’re aware.’
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