Responding to criticism from Milan’s mayor and civil-rights groups, Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi told Parliament on 4 February that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials deployed for the Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics will have “no operational policing powers on Italian soil”. ICE personnel will work from a joint intelligence cell, exchanging data on organised crime and terrorism threats, he said, stressing that all arrests and immigration enforcement remain the sole remit of Italian authorities.
The minister clarified that the deployment is authorised under a bilateral security accord ratified in 2014 and that similar analytical collaborations took place during the Turin 2006 Games and Expo 2015 without controversy. He emphasised that Italy’s sovereignty is “not being squeezed” and that the agents’ focus is risk-analysis, cyber forensics and credential vetting for U.S. delegations, not street patrols or raids.
![Italy says presence of U.S. ICE agents for 2026 Winter Olympics will be strictly analytical]()
If your organisation needs to secure Schengen visas quickly for athletes, contractors or VIP guests heading to the Games, VisaHQ can manage the entire application workflow online—checking eligibility, compiling paperwork and booking consular appointments via its Italy portal (https://www.visahq.com/italy/). This service can save mobility teams time and help prevent last-minute border delays.
For global mobility planners the statement removes uncertainty about additional U.S.-style immigration checks at Italian venues or airports during the Games. Olympic corporate sponsors can expect standard Schengen procedures at the border, while accreditation and background checks will continue to be handled by the organising committee’s security division in coordination with Italian police.
Nevertheless, companies should brief travelling staff that heightened document checks are likely during peak event days, and ensure that all non-EU employees carry both valid Schengen visas and Olympic accreditation letters to avoid delays at venue perimeters.
The minister clarified that the deployment is authorised under a bilateral security accord ratified in 2014 and that similar analytical collaborations took place during the Turin 2006 Games and Expo 2015 without controversy. He emphasised that Italy’s sovereignty is “not being squeezed” and that the agents’ focus is risk-analysis, cyber forensics and credential vetting for U.S. delegations, not street patrols or raids.
If your organisation needs to secure Schengen visas quickly for athletes, contractors or VIP guests heading to the Games, VisaHQ can manage the entire application workflow online—checking eligibility, compiling paperwork and booking consular appointments via its Italy portal (https://www.visahq.com/italy/). This service can save mobility teams time and help prevent last-minute border delays.
For global mobility planners the statement removes uncertainty about additional U.S.-style immigration checks at Italian venues or airports during the Games. Olympic corporate sponsors can expect standard Schengen procedures at the border, while accreditation and background checks will continue to be handled by the organising committee’s security division in coordination with Italian police.
Nevertheless, companies should brief travelling staff that heightened document checks are likely during peak event days, and ensure that all non-EU employees carry both valid Schengen visas and Olympic accreditation letters to avoid delays at venue perimeters.
