In Eagle, Idaho, a pro-Trump bar known for its anti-LGBTQ+ stunts has launched a new promotion that feels ripped from a dystopian novel: free beer in exchange for helping deport undocumented migrants.
The Old State Saloon — a place already known for its “Heterosexual Awesomeness” theme nights — announced the incentive on November 30 in a post on X (formerly Twitter), declaring:
“ALERT: Anyone who helps ICE identify and ultimately deport an illegal from Idaho gets FREE BEER FOR ONE MONTH at Old State Saloon!”
The offer, which encourages patrons to collect and submit “evidence” on undocumented people, arrives at a time when the Trump administration’s second term has ramped up immigration enforcement, increasing raids, arrests, and pressure on ICE to boost deportation numbers. The bar positioned its promotion as community “support” for the agency — but critics see it as a dangerous escalation of vigilantism.
How is this even real?
Their Merry Snitchmas! Tuesday “offerings” include:
- BOGO (Buy One Get One) for the patriotic ladies, all day.
- Manly American Mondays: All American Citizen Males Who Support ICE Get One Free Beer
- Ladies “I’m Telling” Tuesdays BOGO for American Woman Willing to Snitch to Ice
- Whistleblower Wednesday: 10% Off Entire Bill for American Heterosexual Couples
Far-Right Amplification and Local Support
Local Republican figure Ryan Spoon, vice chair of the Ada County Republican Central Committee, even bragged about taking part. Speaking to Newsweek, he said:
“Yes, I did! I had a free Moon Dog Amber Ale at the Old State Saloon… and a great chat with the owner, Mark Fitzpatrick, whom I also consider a friend.”
Notably, the Department of Homeland Security also reposted the bar’s message with a reaction GIF — prompting the bar to enthusiastically respond, “Let’s go! Deport them all!”
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A Pattern of Targeting Marginalized Communities
The deportation giveaway is not an isolated incident. The Old State Saloon and its owner, Mark Fitzpatrick, have become known for marketing stunts that push an aggressively political and exclusionary message — often at the expense of queer people.
During Pride Month last year, the bar launched “Heterosexual Awesomeness Month,” offering free beers every Monday to straight, cisgender men who dressed like “heterosexual males.” A Wednesday special, “Heterosexual Couples Day,” gave straight couples a 15% discount.
One of the bar’s old posts read:
“Each Monday will be Hetero Male Monday and any heterosexual male dressed like a heterosexual male will receive a free draft beer.”
While Fitzpatrick has previously insisted he “loves all types of people, including the LGBTQ+ crowd,” he added the telling qualifier:
“I sincerely wish they all knew Jesus as their saviour.”
Straight Pride, Again — and a Musician’s Protest
The bar has already announced its next event: “Hetero Awesome Fest” in June 2025. Fitzpatrick described the upcoming straight-pride-style celebration as a pushback against “liberal progressivism” and “cultural trends” he considers harmful.
He told NBC News:
“Our event is not about targeting any group but about raising awareness of practices we find troubling, such as the encouragement of ‘gender transitions’ among children or their exposure to inappropriate content.”
He added:
“We believe the traditional family is vital to society and deserves recognition and protection.”
Despite his insistence that the event wasn’t anti-LGBTQ+, the hostility was on full display during last year’s festival. Pro-LGBTQ+ singer Daniel Hamrick briefly took the stage and performed a song about a trans man — an act of peaceful protest swiftly cut short. Security removed him, and Fitzpatrick later justified it to KTVB, saying the lyrics “go against our values.” He further accused “the Pride community” of being “liars and deceivers [who] victimise children.”
Why This Matters to LGBTQ+ Readers
For queer communities, especially those in conservative regions, stories like this don’t exist in a vacuum. They sit alongside rising anti-LGBTQ+ legislation, school board censorship, drag bans, and coordinated pressure campaigns by extremist groups. When a local bar publicly incentivizes its customers to surveil and report undocumented migrants — often a population that includes LGBTQ+ people fleeing violence — it reinforces a climate of fear and hostility.
What’s unfolding in Idaho isn’t just about immigration. It’s about power, culture wars, and who gets to feel safe in public spaces. And as always, marginalized communities are the first to feel the consequences.
A Final Note
While the bar claims its events are about “values,” the pattern speaks for itself: exclusion disguised as celebration, and now, community-sponsored deportation framed as patriotism. For LGBTQ+ people and allies, these moments are reminders of why solidarity matters — especially when small, local actions mirror larger national policies designed to marginalize vulnerable communities.
REFERENCE: Newsweek