Coco Gauff has taken a stand against Donald Trump deploying Immigration and Customs Enforcement in the United States by saying she does not think “people should be dying in the streets for just existing”.
Playing an event in Dubai, the 21-year-old says she has kept up to date throughout theMiddle East swing of the tennis tour with recent events at home, which have included two protesters being killed by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents.
Gauff has been outspoken on political matters throughout her career and said that while she is “proud to be American”, it does not mean she has to “represent the values” of the country’s leadership.
“For me, I’m someone that likes to stay informed. Once I see something happen, I like to do the research on it,” she said during a news conference at the Dubai Tennis Championships.
“Everything going on in the US, obviously I’m not really for it. I don’t think people should be dying in the streets for just existing. I don’t like what’s going on.”
In January, Alex Pretti and Renee Good were fatally shot by federal agents in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where ICE agents have arrested more than 4000 illegal immigrants since December. The two killings sparked protests in the city and across the country against President Trump, with calls for ICE to leave the state.
“I think for me, it is tough to wake up and see something because I do care a lot about our country. I think people think I don’t for some reason, but I do. I’m very proud to be an American,” Gauff added.
Gauff emphasised her pride in being American but disagreed with the leadership's values, advocating for diversity and equality. Photo / Getty Images
“But I think when you’re from any country, you don’t have to represent the entire values of what’s going on in the leadership. I think there’s a lot of people around that believe in the things I believe in, believe in diversity and equality.”
As a 16-year-old she even appeared at a peaceful Black Lives Matter protest rally in her hometown of Delray Beach, Florida. It was in the same area where her maternal grandmother Yvonne Lee Odom became the first black student in her high school as part of a desegregation movement in 1961.
Gauff has never shied away from a question on social and political issues, and said: “I never feel torn when I’m asked a question. Obviously when you’re in a tournament, you may not, like, come out and do a statement or things like that. But I never feel torn when I’m asked a question because it is relevant. If you’re asking me, I’m going to tell you how I feel.”
Gauff is far from the only United States athlete to have used their profile to make a stand. British-American skier Gus Kenworthy posted a graphic image on Instagram that appeared to show him urinating “f*** ICE” in the snow, and later said he had received death threats for the act.
Gus Kenworthy posted his yellow-snow protest (right) on Instagram. Photos / Gus Kenworthy
Team USA skiers Chris Lillis and Hunter Hess have also spoken out at the Olympic Games about the actions of ICE. When asked what it means to represent his country, Hess said: “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. Just because I’m wearing the flag doesn’t mean I represent everything going on in the US.”
Vice-President JD Vance attended the opening ceremony in Milan, and when Team USA entered the San Siro, the camera cut to him, large sections of the crowd responded with boos. There were also protests in Italy against ICE, and Milan’s mayor Giuseppe Sala said that ICE agents, who accompanied Vance, were not welcome.
