In yet another display of political activism infiltrating the Olympics, two Team USA freestyle skiers have voiced their "mixed emotions" and "heartbreak" over representing the United States at the 2026 Winter Games in Milan-Cortina, Italy, because of the ongoing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations.

Chris Lillis, a 27-year-old aerials specialist and gold medalist from the 2022 Beijing Olympics, told reporters he feels "heartbroken" about ICE raids and protests, adding he feels the need for the country 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' teammate, Hunter Hess, 27, who is competing in freestyle halfpipe, said that wearing the American flag "brings up mixed emotions" and is "a little hard" right now.

Hess added that he's not the "biggest fan" of much that's happening in the U.S.

"Just because I'm wearing the flag doesn't mean I represent everything that's going on in the U.S. I just kind of want to do it for my friends and family, the people who supported me getting here," Hess said.