US Olympic Athletes Distance Themselves From ICE: ‘Just Because I’m Wearing the Flag Doesn’t Mean I Represent Everything’

Team USA Olympic athletes spoke out this week about their “mixed emotions” representing the US amid the ICE raids and shootings happening.

Freestyle skiers Chris Lillis, 27, and Hunter Hess, 27, acknowledged ongoing tensions regarding ICE and President Donald Trump’s administration when asked by reporters as the 2026 Winter Olympics, taking place in Italy, kicked off.

“A lot of times, athletes are hesitant to talk about political views and how we feel about things. I feel heartbroken about what’s happening in the United States,” Lillis said. “I’m pretty sure you’re referencing ICE and some of the protests and things like that. I think that as a country, we need to focus on respecting everybody’s rights and making sure that we’re treating our citizens as well as anybody, with love and respect.”

Lillis made clear, however, he would not want to represent any country except the US at the Olympics.

“I hope that when people look at athletes competing in the Olympics, they realize that that’s the America that we’re trying to represent,” he said.

The comments come as Minneapolis and other cities have been hit with anti-ICE protests. In recent weeks, federal immigration agents have shot and killed two citizens in Minneapolis — Renee Good and Alex Pretti — leading to calls from local officials and other critics for ICE and Border Patrol to leave.

Hess told reporters that being asked about representing the US amid ICE raids brings up “mixed emotions” for him.

“It’s a little hard. There’s obviously a lot going on that I’m not the biggest fan of, and I think a lot of people aren’t,” he said.

The skier said he feels he’s representing his friends and family and the “good” in his home country.

“Just because I wear the flag, it doesn’t mean I represent everything that is going on in the US,” he said.

Watch above via KCRA.

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