1. United States
2. Mich.
3. Letter

I am writing to urge you to oppose the deployment of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to support security operations at the Winter Olympics in Italy, which begin on February 6. This deployment is diplomatically damaging and undermines America's standing with our allies. The announcement has sparked significant controversy in Italy, with Milan Mayor Beppe Sala stating that ICE agents are not welcome and do not guarantee conformity to Italy's democratic way of ensuring security. Italian Interior Minister Matteo Pantedosi has firmly stated that ICE will not operate on Italian national territory. This diplomatic friction with a key NATO ally is unnecessary and counterproductive. Recent ICE actions have intensified international concerns. On January 7, an ICE agent fatally shot Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis, prompting nationwide protests. This past Saturday, after Alex Pretti was shot by border patrol agents, two Italian journalists from public broadcaster Rai were threatened by ICE officials while covering the agency's actions in Minneapolis. One agent warned the crew that if they kept filming, their car window would be smashed. These incidents demonstrate why Italian officials are rightfully concerned about ICE's presence. The Department of Homeland Security has confirmed that all security operations at the Olympics are directed and managed exclusively by Italian authorities. If Italy does not want ICE agents present, we should respect their sovereignty. Other federal agencies can provide the necessary security support without creating diplomatic tensions. I ask you to publicly oppose this deployment and work with colleagues to ensure that ICE agents do not participate in Olympics security operations. Our relationship with Italy and respect for their democratic processes should take precedence over an unnecessary show of force that our ally has explicitly rejected.