Italys Winter Olympics security plan retains US Immigration and Customs Enforcement advisory

Italy to Deploy 6,000 Officers and Cybersecurity Measures for Winter Olympics

The Italian government has announced a comprehensive security plan for the upcoming Winter Olympics, which will take place from February 6 to February 22. The plan involves the deployment of approximately 6,000 law enforcement officers, supported by drone surveillance and cybersecurity measures.

The US delegation, led by Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, will be assisted by staff from the US Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency. However, according to the Italian Ministry of Interior, ICE personnel will only work in designated US diplomatic offices and will not participate in ground operations.

The security operation will include intelligence-led prevention measures, as well as a 24-hour cybersecurity control room in Milan. The plan also includes regular police officers, Carabinieri military police, and Guardia di Finanza tax police assigned to venues, with the largest contingent in Milan.

The event is expected to attract around 2 million visitors, including 60,000 for the opening ceremony at San Siro stadium in Milan. Competing nations often bring their own security personnel, but ICE will provide advisory and intelligence-based support via its Homeland Security Investigations division.

Criticism has been raised regarding the presence of ICE agents in Italy, with some groups planning protests during the Games. The Italian government has assured that all security operations on Italian territory remain under exclusive responsibility and direction.

Source: Al Jazeera