Some members of Team USA at the Winter Olympics in Milan have spoken out about the actions Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) back home, saying that representing their country brings up “mixed emotions” and that they “do not represent everything going on in the U.S.”
Newsweek reached out to the White House by email on Friday evening for comment.
Chris Lillis, who will compete in Aerials events, said at a press conference earlier in the day 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,” adding that he is “heartbroken about what’s happening in the United States,” specifically in response to questions about ICE and the resulting protests.
“I hope that when people look at athletes competing in the Olympics, they realize that’s the America that we’re trying to represent,” Lillis said.
Hunter Hess, another freestyle skier, went even further, saying that competing for the USA at this time brings up “mixed emotions … it’s a little hard.”
“There’s bviously a lot going on that I’m not the biggest fan of, and I think a lot of people aren’t,” Hess said. “Just because I’m wearing the flag doesn’t mean I represent everything that’s going on in the U.S.”
This is a breaking news story. Updates will follow.
