Gym-Goers Cancel Their Crunch Gym Memberships After Employee Guidelines on ICE Raids Go Viral

Crunch Fitness has seen a surge in membership cancellations and a heated online debate after an internal memo from a Texas franchise, outlining guidance for staff if US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents visit a gym location, was shared on social media and quickly went viral.

The controversy has ignited strong responses from members, with some announcing they are quitting the gym, while others reject claims that Crunch as a whole supports law enforcement raids.

Viral Memo Triggers Backlash and Cancellations

The centre of the uproar is a leaked document from Undefeated Tribe Operating Company LLC, a franchisee that operates roughly 40 of Crunch Fitness's more than 500 gyms in the US. The memo reportedly suggested that staff should cooperate with law enforcement and outlined steps to follow if officers, including ICE, were present, such as contacting management and keeping members calm.

The document was first shared in a now-deleted Reddit thread and is circulating on Facebook, where the original poster wrote that they had cancelled their membership after reading the leaked memo. Responses in the thread show a range of views: some users are cancelling their memberships, while others argue that the document does not explicitly say Crunch will "allow ICE raids" or that all locations have the same policy.

A video shared on TikTok by a Crunch member shows them explaining their decision to cancel, underscoring how powerful viral content can be in shaping public perception — even if the underlying facts are contested.

Crunch Corporate Clarifies Position

In response to the online backlash, Crunch Fitness issued an official announcement on Instagram addressing the situation and distancing the corporate brand from the leaked memo. In the post, the gym chain stated that the memo did not reflect Crunch's official policy and that the guidance had been misinterpreted by many online.

Crunch emphasised that law enforcement, including ICE, cannot enter private areas of a gym without a valid judicial warrant, a distinction that critics of the viral narrative have highlighted as important. The company also reiterated its commitment to maintaining safe, inclusive spaces for members and staff alike.

Mixed Member Reactions Online

Not all responses have been negative. Many commenters within the Reddit thread and across social platforms took issue with the way the situation was portrayed. Some highlighted that:

Not all Crunch gyms are affected, and independent franchise owners may have different internal procedures.

The leaked memo did not say Crunch was partnering with ICE to conduct raids, but rather provided standard lawful compliance guidance similar to what many businesses have for dealing with police or other officers.

Several users urged others not to spread misinformation or assume the worst about the gym's intentions, pointing out that no raids have been reported at any location as a result of the memo.

One commenter wrote that they plan to keep their membership and that the reaction was disproportionate to the content of the leaked document. Another noted that "it's up to each franchise owner, rather than the franchisor," underscoring how decentralised policies can be misread as corporate directives.

Cancellation Hassles Add to Discord

The controversy has also reignited broader frustrations about Crunch's cancellation processes. Online communities have long discussed difficulties members face when cancelling from account requirements and administrative hurdles to unexpected billing, and this episode appears to have amplified existing frustrations.

While some cancellations are clearly tied to concerns over the ICE memo, others appear motivated by longstanding dissatisfaction with customer service or contractual terms.