Winter Olympics Skier Gus Kenworthy Shares Anti-ICE Message Written in Snow

Pro skier Gus Kenworthy shared a sharp, profane message criticizing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) just days before competing for Team GB at the 2026 Winter Olympics.

In an Instagram post on Wednesday, Feb. 4, Kenworthy, 34, uploaded a photo of the words “f— ice” written into the snow — a message he later said was made using urine. In the caption, he urged followers to contact their senators at (202) 224-3121 and press lawmakers to push back on ICE during ongoing Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding negotiations.

Kenworthy included a call script for constituents, beginning with: “Hi, my name is [Your Name], and I’m a constituent from [Your City, State]. I’m calling to urge Senator [Name] to refuse to support any final Department of Homeland Security funding agreement that fails to meaningfully rein in ICE and Border Patrol.”

The script continued with a broader argument for limits on enforcement, citing concerns about “unchecked power” and calling for “real guardrails and accountability,” including getting ICE and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) “out of our communities,” ending what he described as “blank-check funding for brutality,” and establishing clearer limits on “warrantless arrests, profiling, and enforcement at sensitive locations like schools and hospitals.” He ended the caption with a middle finger emoji and an ice emoji.

The post arrived amid renewed outrage tied to the deaths of Renee Nicole Good, who was fatally shot by an ICE agent, and Alex Pretti, who died after being shot by U.S. Border Patrol officers in Minneapolis last month.

A day later, Kenworthy followed up with a lighter tone, sharing a series of winter photos ahead of the Games in Milan. Referencing his earlier upload, he wrote: “My last post was pee so it only felt appropriate to follow it up with a lil’ dump… of photos from January. Yes, I’m a child. 💩”

His comments also came as a Team USA hospitality venue previously known as The Ice House was renamed The Winter House, according to a joint statement from U.S. Figure Skating, USA Hockey and US Speedskating that USA Today reported on Feb. 1. The organizations said the hospitality concept was meant to be a private, distraction-free space for athletes and their families, and that the updated name better matched the setting and spirit of the event.

The change was made after concerns that the original name could attract unwanted attention amid potential ICE-related protests in Milan, USA Today reported.

Kenworthy, who holds both British and American citizenship, previously competed for Team USA before switching to Team GB. He previously explained that multiple factors shaped his decision — including how difficult it can be to secure one of the limited roster spots on the U.S. team.

“Making the team for the U.S. is a nightmare and those guys are like fighting dog-eat-dog for those four spots and ultimately it results in men not making the U.S. team that are world-class that could be on the podium that don’t get to be there,” he said. He added that competing for Great Britain opened up a quota spot rather than taking one away from another athlete, arguing that the move could even be seen as “more patriotic” because it left room for another American skier to qualify.