An Alaska Airlines flight attendant was photographed wearing an “ICE OUT” pin on a recent flight, protesting Trump administration immigration enforcement.
Alaska Airlines employees can wear pronoun pins and the airline sells a number of other pins. And the flight attendant contract expressly allows them to wear a union pin. But adopting political statements outside of company-approved pins is not permitted.
Hey @AlaskaAir– are you ok with this ?
Flight attendant wearing an “ICE OUT” pin.Not showing her face, but you should probably address it.
What a slap in the face to ICE agents who risk their lives protecting this country.
This American supports you. 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/UV1D6gTmtf
— Stella Escobedo (@StellaEscoTV) April 6, 2026
I think it’s possible to simultaneously believe that (1) more legal immigration is good, the best and brightest should be welcome here; (2) guest worker programs are net positive [they also reduce illegal immigration – if it’s easy to come work and return home there’s less incentive to overstay]; (3) immigrants offset declining populations which are fiscal time bombs that would drive much higher taxes and also that the level of illegal immigration in recent years isn’t politically sustainable and that seems true not just in the U.S. but across much of Europe as well.
And despite the political appetite for greater immigration enforcement, tactics recently displayed deserve to be revisited and some reforms make sense such as:
- Judicial warrants before entering private property, plus verification someone is not a U.S. citizen before immigration detention.
- Visible ID with agency, ID number, and last name (and verbalization of ID if asked).
- Immigration enforcement shouldn’t center on schools, hospitals, child care facilities, churches, polling places, and courts.
- Not blocking access to lawyers when detained
And while all of this strikes me as correct, the airplane cabin probably isn’t the best place to hash this out, the correct position is a nuanced one not reducable to a slogan like ‘ICE OUT’, and having crew expressing political opinions is especially a problem both for the airline’s brand (it’ll turn off customers on at least one side) and because of the power dynamic.
There’s a problem of asymmetric speech, when a crewmember engages in personal, political proselytizing where others are forced to ‘listen’. Expressing one’s own speech in response can easily escalate to punishment and law enforcement response.
So while I’m sympathetic to feelings the flight attendant may have underlying the PIN, wearing it onboard, in uniform, while working as crew is a bad idea.
Political slogans do not belong in the workplace, particularly when dealing with the public. Grounds for dismal if it continues.
Political pins/shirts/banners do not belong in the workplace, feel free to voice during the other free 16 hours you have as is your right. Gary. perhaps you can spare us your Political commentary as well.
The Media and he corrupt DemocRATs have painted a negative picture of ICE. ICE is doing the job Americans, myself included, voted for. If you entered the United States illegally, you don’t belong here – it is that simple. This flight attendant should be fired.
That is not surprising AS has been “open” to various movements since Ben took over. Having said that we as American’s are free to voice our opinions however as the above posters have stated doing it inside a metal capsule is not the best place. Its my opinion that Ben should make a publice statement regarding this incident.
I dislike your political posts. There is enough politics dividing this country. Stick to what helped you raise to fame, keep to aviation stories
Hey maybe the plane is out of ice and the FA is tired of repeating it to multiple customers
Across the board with ALL Airlines, zero tolerence with pins, signs, banners, slogans depicting any political idea should be followed by mantatory suspension or firing.
Show me which job listing says you have to forfeit 1st amendment right?
I miss the glory days when we could just fly anyone who looked illegal to a prison in a random country without a trial as the founders intended
Maybe not the greatest idea but this issues flies both ways. I dont see the opposite viewpoints being discouraged in the same way. I also don’t like seeing those ugly Anerican ICE agents as the first people on the other side of the door disembarking from an international flight into SFO. Can we do something about that????,
@david r Miller you voted for it. I didnt. If you think we a Demoarats, you are MAGAt trash. Go fly Spirit.
So it’s OK to break the rules coming in but we have to jump through made up Constitutional “requirements” to get you out? NO
We welcome legal immigrants. If you are here illegally, you must go. One way or another, you are going home. Street corner, school, church, courthouse – doesn’t matter. Once your legal avenues for appeal have been exhausted or you have a final order of deportation, home you go.
@David R Miller recent public sentiment would suggest that this is NOT what America voted for….but you keep lying to yourself.
That said, I agree that politics have not place at work. It is a no-win situation. Someone feel empowered and someone feels attacked. Many of us are horrified by the behavior of ICE and this administration. We take our frustration to the streets and to the polls, but not to work. At work, we are there to do a job and represent the company. If the company says no political pins, then no political pins. If the company says “do what you want,” then I guess the pins are okay.
Uh…David R., not all Democrats are “rats,” just as not all Republicans are idiots. The First Amendment ensures the free speech rights of ALL Americans. Now, the FA can *believe* anything she wants, whether it’s “ICE OUT,” “”Bovino for President,” or that Trump is the greatest Chancellor since Hitler. IT DOESN’T MATTER. What matters is what is appropriate (and what is allowed) in the workplace. In that, she was wrong to wear that pin on her uniform as it’s against company policy. Is it a fireable offense? Probably not. A warning and having her remove the pin is probably sufficient. After all, it’s not like Pete Hegseth wearing his NSDAP membership pin on his label at work….
“Hey maybe the plane is out of ice and the FA is tired of repeating it to multiple customers”
@Glenn wins this thread comment comment section. Just close it down now and give him an award.
I’ll bet money that flight attendant has a nose ring. That is always the first indication of a bat shit crazy female. Watch out guys.
What about when passengers come onboard wearing a MAGA hat or a T-shirt with a political statement ? Should that be allowed?
Anyones feelings towards ICE – is completely irrelevant here.
This is just about company policy.
“Show me which job listing says you have to forfeit 1st amendment right?”
There are none. What you “forfeit”, at almost every job, is the “right” to avoid any consequences from the things you choose to say or do. The First Amendment protects you from government sanctioning your speech, but you don’t enjoy the same protections relative to your employer.
@Per Clausen — 100% right!
@ Mike P. — 100% right!
@Cesar — 100% IRRELEVANT. We are talking about an employee of a company, not the customer. While I personally think the individual is a moron, I would also recognize his 1st Amendment right to wear said hat or T-shirt. I would also recognize my own right to think he’s a moron.
@Coffee Please — 100% wrong! Having a nose right doesn’t make a woman “bat shit crazy.” Having to put up with men like you and their ridiculous stereotyped judgements is what does it.
@Jason – Hmm… your cadence is awfully close to our village idiot here at VFTW.
At any rate, a private company restricting political pins is not a constitutional violation, because the Constitution governs government behavior, not private workplace rules.
To those who disagreed with my first posting – America DID vote to get rid of ALL illegal aliens – period. Secondly, ANYONE voting for or claiming to be a DemocRAT – you people are traitors to America. You should be ashamed for being brainwashed by the corrupt DemocRATs and the lying media.
@David Miller – you are correct.
Democrats support
Abortion up to birth.
Free health care for everyone
Unlimited immigration
Transitioning children
Outlawing the 2d amendment
Just to name a few.
@Jason
My assessment is for the most part correct. I will say that idiot MD at the JFK airport that confronted ICE should have certainly had a nose ring as well. Any woman that sees this OBGYN should have their head examined or install a nose ring.
I don’t think that a pin that speaks against faceless goons who blatantly break the law and execute citizens on the streets is really a political issue. More of a good versus evil thing.
Christian – you hould leave the thinking to those who can…
This is going to boil down to whatever the company policy is of Alaska Airlines.
If the airline is smart, they should have a policy in place that prohibits wearing such pins as it offends too many paying customers. I believe at least half of the flying passengers would be displeased seeing this anti-ICE pin.
If the airline is not smart, they will allow the wearing of such pins. In this case, they can expect to receive the Bud Light treatment from me and tens of millions of passengers.
@Cesar Bujedo
We have already seen this. Unhinged activist’s hiding as flight attendants have demanded removal of these passengers or change their outfits.
Do we know what brand of Alaska this was because it does not sound like AS unless it was a d.a. Gen Z-er
So was it :
Alaska Alaska
Alaska Horizon
Alaska Hawaiian
Alaska Skywest
or
Alaska “Gen Z”
Flight attendants serve ice, ice out.
“An Alaska Airlines flight attendant was photographed wearing an “ICE OUT” pin while working a recent flight, injecting a charged immigration slogan into one of the few places passengers cannot simply walk away. Whatever someone thinks about immigration enforcement, the cabin is a bad place for crew political messaging: the power imbalance is real, the slogan flattens a complicated issue, and the airline’s brand winds up carrying an employee’s personal politics.”
Well summarized, Gary. That pretty much nailed the issue quite well, and is one of your better-worded article banners to date.
Nobody wants to see a worker wear a political “ICE OUT” or “No Kings!” pin anymore than they want to see a “MAGA” one, in an environment where you, as the consumer, don’t have the option to remove yourself from the interaction.
If you work for an edgy coffee cafe, gun shop, natural co-op, or used book store, and want to display your political leanings – that’s fine if your employer is fine with it too. If I’m bothered, I can take my business elsewhere. But an airline is one place we cannot do the same, once we are on board. And it does give the appearance that the individual’s view is the company’s – which isn’t appropriate.
I guess supporting the violation of the law is ok with Alaska Airlines. ICE is doing a job just like she is.
@David R – Puerile. That would have been funny in fourth grade. How about addressing actual facts instead of silly insults? If you favor police killing citizens and not being held accountable then just say so.
@Christian
There are thousands of police videos where folks resist, fight, attempt disarming, etc. Bad things can certainly happen when emotions run high and one chooses to ignore law enforcement commands. I have never had a problem with law enforcement because I listen and follow instructions. It’s simple to do yet unfortunately we have folks out there that think they can take on law enforcement. Not smart.
@Christian – I bet you are in great physical shape based upon the depth of the hole you are digging.
@Coffee Please is correct – Illegal invaders are being arrested and deported, those being injured or killed are experiencing FAFO. Any Americans being detained are usually resisting or refusing to identifying themselves. I would agree to agents going maskless, if those protesting go maskless and can be arrested if they wear a mask. Libs / leftists / democrats are violent
I agree that keeping crew politics out of the cabin is a good idea. There is clearly enough stress at 37,000 feet as you have shown in countless articles. To be fair, Stella E’s X post could have sent a more helpful message by simply changing “ICE agents” to “law abiding ICE agents.” I’m sure there are some.
This is fun. It’s been a long time since I heard the 1A argument that employees can undertake any speech at work. I’m surprised these misinformed still exist. But, my favorite cases were when a newspaper reporter, upon discovering their paper wouldn’t print their article, claimed it a 1A violation. Having worked in a public-facing job my entire adult work life, I took pride in the fact that I never exposed my political viewpoints.
This is the reason to never fly US carriers to and from the US. Always fly foreign flag carriers that have standards and care more about their jobs and customer outcomes. Love that foreign carriers still hire for performance, customer service, and smiles. Flying within the US we have no choice but to suffer indifferent service from overpaid employees.
If no human being is illegal, then why does EVERY OTHER COUNTRY IN THE WORLD kick out illegal immigrants? But the Democrats tell us that illegals in America can never be kicked out, ever. Make it make sense. You can’t. Democrats love illegals and hate American citizens.
@Gary – I see that you’ve got about three to four guys living in mom’s basement brigading the comments. You can tell because they all say some slight variation of the same dumb thing but won’t actually present facts or viable perspectives, just childish invective. Funny how the same “group” always just happen to comment on the same posts. Gosh, they must sleep and take vacations at the same time, every time! Lol.
I’d love for you to block duplicates like these. It would keep comments shorter and still allow people their opinions, just not while pretending to be multiple people.
Poor Christian. More than one disagrees with him and he thinks we are all the same person and still live in the basement. Oh and he wants to scrub comments he doesn’t like. Back to “The View” Christian.
@Coffee Please – Libs really don’t like dissent, they are in a cult.
I thought this comment was hilarious “You can tell because they all say some slight variation of the same dumb thing but won’t actually present facts or viable perspectives, just childish invective.” I have yet to read a fact out of @Christian. He just spews the liberal talking point from MSDNC, The Spew, or his handler. Heck, I am one of the few that uses my name.
BTW “C” your response was childish and fact less.
Quick synopsis: No pins is the solution.
https://www.theepochtimes.com/article/murder-and-mayham-sampling-of-ice-worst-of-the-worst-arrests-5988386?utm_source=Goodevening&src_src=Goodevening&utm_campaign=gv-2026-04-06&src_cmp=gv-2026-04-06&utm_medium=email&est=4aCXpIvOr7bquPf7SduDhiRd5OVYl%2Bz%2F9dzKMwG2O1HvlE6AV3D6mMjeR0Xg
A great article on ICE’s arrests of the criminal illegal invaders
Michael Mainello supports
High gas prices (probably loved the green new deal)
Paying tariffs (hated Bidenflation because poors could still buy things)
Ballrooms (probably owns a bunch of ruffled dress shirts)
Allah
Women’s sports (not the competition but the pre-event genital inspections)
Just to name a few
@1990 – You have earned my respect for this evening. No @Retard tonight. Enjoy it while it lasts.
I’m guessing you had nothing good to write about so you got the idiots on both sides to practice more divisiveness at a time when our great country doesn’t need any more.
I’m a huge first amendment advocate but employees representing a company should not be pushing their personal views whether you agree with them or not. If you’re not happy with something, go to a protest and and make your point there. Trying to do it while you’re representing your employer is a disservice to everyone. Please stop the hate on both sides. I typically like to read what you have to say about travel but this topic has nothing to do with it. Shame on you for just trying to get more clicks.
@Winston – Bless your heart. Is that all you got.
Any comment section that includes a link to Epoch Times is obviously seriously worth reading. I always keep in mind that those who don’t believe in climate change do believe in bigfoot. As an old white guy Minneapolis resident I can vouch for the fact that these storm troopers had little to do with immigration enforcement and everything to do with threatening and bullying people smart enough not to worship the current dictator. The only distinction ICE thugs had from gang members is that they hid their faces and kept their pants pulled up. Other than that, they were just plain terrorists.
@Kevin Smith – Could you provide some facts to support your verbal vomit? Or are you just one of those folks that “feels” everything ICE does is wrong and the US should allow anyone to become a citizen and taxpayers should pay for their invasion. To make a liberal mad, show them facts.
@A Perez – Nirvana happens in heaven, but on earth there has always been and will always be disagreement.
@Kevin Smith — Well done in Minneapolis. Your community has brought hope to people of good conscience in the country and around the world. (Don’t worry too much about @Michael Mainello; he’s a rabid partisan who will just regurgitate the right-wing party-line on here.)
@1990 – Thanks for the compliment. I am impressed that you took a position. How many illegal invaders do you house, feed and medicate? You sir are a bot that has no cognitive ability to think or reason. You spew positions that the DNC & Deep State send you. You probably don’t even realize when your handlers change political positions. Other than that, you seem OK.
@Michael Mainello also recruits his family members to post on here to support his positions. Presumably because they let him live with them because he can’t afford to live on his own.
@Winston — Aww. The party of family-values…
@Michael Mainello — I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: I’m ready for Democrats to ditch their corporate elites and adopt actual progressive positions and candidates. I know that’s not gonna work for the ‘enlightened centrists’ but we’ve gotta fight fire with fire these days. It’s a class war, not a culture war. Always has been.
@Winston – You are a funny bot.
@1990 – You really need to self deport. The country you live in was made through hard working citizens. The form of government you want will destroy the country you are living in. So I suggest you re-locate to a country that already (dis) functions like you want. Just look at “progressive” Virginia. That governor’s approval rating has already plummeted in only a few short weeks from taking office. Your party can only win elections by lying.
When I get a soft drink on board, I usually say ice, please.
Why would someone create a bot to dunk on an unemployed incel who posts thirsty Trump fan fiction on a travel blog?
@Winston — There’s already several, such as @Michael Mainello, and, well, now, I guess, @Winston. Hope you get paid. I do this for me.
@Michael Mainello — Seems pretty un-American to tell your fellow citizens to self-deport. Let’s… keep yourself safe (I’ll do the same). Oh, by the way, what’s your wager on Dear Leader nuking another country tonight on a whim? War crime/crime against humanity, or patriotic Biblical crusade and prophecy realized?
@1990 – I think it very un-American wanting to change this country they way you espouse. BTW he won’t nuke any country. But unlike previous presidents that tried to buy off Iran (44) and scare them with empty rhetoric (the others), President Trump is looking out for America and the free world.
@Winston – Trust me, I have worked for over 55 years and your comments are those of an inexperienced idiot. Trust me a bot is a step up for you at least they have artificial intelligence, something you lack.
@1990 – First off, not sure if my first response will be released, but here is shortened version. ” Seems pretty un-American to tell your fellow citizens to self-deport.”
Maybe, but from numerous conversations with you (or your bot), what you want to accomplish is Un-American. This is why I recommend you self-deport and go to a country that practices what you want. Try and improve it instead of ruining America.
@Michael Mainello — He’s going with the ole ‘two more weeks’… would you like some salsa with that TACO?
@1990-We will see. If the Straight of H is open and oil flowing and the country more free, than yes. It was the democrat from Plains Georgia that put us in this mess.
@Michael Mainello — If we’re going back, it’s further than that… think 1953, but, still, no, where we are today is owned by our current President, and it has not gone well.
By comparison, what we did recently in Venezuela was impressive and an actual win, even if not necessarily ‘on the books’ as far as rules go. Iran, however, simply, was not and has not and may not be in the future anything but a failure.
Hopefully, oil will stabilize soon, because otherwise that’s not good for anyone anywhere.