The Olympic Games always bring conversation about the other side of the Games. From human rights to the economic and environmental costs of the Olympics, there are often calls to boycott the event, and Milano Cortina is no different.

As news that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents will be present at the 2026 Winter Olympics spread early Tuesday, the world reacted.

In today’s Newsletter:

Editor’s Note: Apologies for the delay on this digest. I got caught in weather delays and needed a little R&R yesterday.

As communities across the United States continue to protest against ICE, the Department of Homeland Security announced Immigration officers will head to the 2026 Winter Olympics to "vet and mitigate risks”, according to an NBC News report.

Reuters reports a left-leaning union group is set to hold an ICE OUT rally on Friday, February 6. The Opening Ceremony will be held that same night.

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, speaking on Holocaust Remembrance Day, dismissed concerns about ICE agents arriving in Italy. “It’s not like the SS are coming,” The Guardian reported. “Let’s be clear. They’re not coming to maintain public order in the middle of the streets. They’re coming to collaborate in the operations rooms,” he added.

Tajani’s remarks are drastically different than Milan Mayor Giuseppe Sala, who expressed criticism prior to Tuesday’s confirmation that U.S. Immigration officers will travel to the 2026 Winter Games.

“It’s clear that they are not welcome in Milan. There’s no doubt about it,” Sala said Tuesday.

“I believe they shouldn’t come to Italy because they don’t guarantee they’re aligned with our democratic security management methods,” Sala added, as reported by CNN.

CNN also obtained a statement from the USA Olympic Committee (USOPC) regarding the Diplomatic Security Service (DSS).

“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,” USOPC said.

CNN reported DSS will serve “a liaison and advisory capacity,” and will not oversee “law enforcement, immigration, or policing activities in Italy,” according to the USOPC statement.

The Olympics are marketed as a celebration of national pride and global unity. Overwhelmingly, the Games are still that for athletes and fans. However, the Olympic Games have never been immune to the darker sides of humanity, and specifically, political leadership.

At the Paris 2024 Summer Games, I had a deep conversation with Dr. Amira Rose Davis about many things, including the intersection of politics and the Olympics.

During that conversation, I asked Dr. Davis how she approached asking athletes questions about their discipline and current events.

“I didn't want to put anybody in a position to be like, so why are you competing …I wanted to create a space where if they wanted to talk about it, they could. And some people did. I would say a great majority of the people I talked to did. And I think that was how I found that middle ground, which is that I'm not– I wasn't going to shy away from topics, but I did leave openings,” she told me.

In her answer, Davis reflected on talking to athletes during the COVID pandemic and how her decision to approach all conversations with empathy helped her get authentic answers rather than a sound bite.

“It was more like saying, ‘Where's your mental health at right now?’ And a lot of people would say, “Fine, but, like, this is really annoying,’ … and that's how some of the topics would come up,” Davis told me.

“I don't believe that everybody's suited to be outspoken the same way, because personalities are just personalities. I also don't feel like that's a burden that anybody should have to carry unwillingly. I do think there's a conversation about what we all do with platforms, but we're all constantly confronted and making choices about how and when we step up to bat in various ways.”

At Black Rosie Media, we aim to report on these topics as Davis and many of her Burn It All Down podcast co-hosts do: with truth, justice, and compassion.

Black Rosie Media looks forward to exploring the many complexities of the 2026 Winter Games and how they intersect with gender, race, religion, and politics.

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