Fox News guest says US Olympians criticizing ICE is “borderline treason”

Islamophobic Fox News contributor Raymond Arroyo said that U.S. Olympic athletes who criticize the lethal and illegal actions of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents are committing “borderline treason.” Arroyo also criticized out gay Olympian Gus Kenworthy for using his platform to criticize ICE.
While speaking on Fox News, anti-LGBTQ+ Fox News host Laura Ingraham first mentioned Olympic skier Hunter Hess. Hess said on February 6, “It brings up mixed emotions to represent the U.S. right now… There’s obviously a lot going on that I’m not the biggest fan of and I think a lot of people aren’t.”
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“Just ‘cuz I’m wearing the flag doesn’t mean I represent everything that’s going on in the U.S.,” he added, never once specifically mentioning ICE. “I just kind of want to do it for my friends and my family and the people that supported me getting here.”
The current U.S. president referred to Hess, who has medaled twice in the X Games, “a real Loser,” writing, “[Hess] says he doesn’t represent his Country in the current Winter Olympics… If that’s the case, he shouldn’t have tried out for the Team.”
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After Trump’s comment, Hess clarified in a January 9 Instagram post, “I love my country. There is so much that is great about America, but there are always things that could be better…. I cannot wait to represent Team USA next week when I compete.”
When Ingraham mentioned Hess, Arroyo said of Hess’ comments, “Laura, this is borderline treason,” Media Matters reported. Arroyo then complained that U.S. Olympians aren’t publicly commenting on recent government oppression of free speech activists in Hong Kong and Iran.
“But we never hear that,” Arroyo said. “They’re competing with each other to get clicks and to make political statements. One guy peed in the ice, Laura. He said you know, ‘F ICE.’ Look at this! This is an Olympic skier. It’s ridiculous.”
Arroyo was alluding to Gus Kenworthy, a freestyle skier with dual U.S./U.K. citizenship who posted a February 4 Instagram image that seemingly showed urine used to write “F**k ICE” in snow.
In the post, Kenworthy wrote a script for U.S. citizens to use when discouraging U.S. senators from continuing funding for federal immigration officers.
“Innocent people have been murdered, and enough is enough. We can’t wait around while ICE continues to operate with unchecked power in our communities,” Kenworthy wrote in his post. “Senators still have leverage right now, and … must use it to demand real guardrails and accountability — including getting ICE and CBP [Customs and Border Patrol] out of our communities, ending blank-check funding for brutality, and establishing clear limits on warrantless arrests, profiling, and enforcement at sensitive locations like schools and hospitals.”
“And he says, ‘Well, I’m just using my platform.’ No, you’re using the U.K.’s platform, who you’re supposed to be representing in a game and you’re using it to make stupid political statements and vile ones at that,” Arroyo added.
Kenworthy is just one of several Olympic athletes who have criticized the U.S. amid ongoing protests against federal immigration agents and the president’s authoritarian disregard of constitutional law. The president, numerous Republican politicians, and other right-wing commentators have accused protestors of undermining national security and being part of a vast, shadowy left-wing conspiracy.
In response to criticism over his Instagram post, Kenworthy said, “I just want to remind everyone that you can love the U.S. and be proud to be an American – I am – and still think it can be better, and still think that the country can improve. And just because you love the U.S. doesn’t mean you stand with this administration and stand behind their politics and their legislation and support the things that they support. Because I don’t. And I do not support ICE, and I think it’s absolutely evil and awful and terrifying.”
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