Grammys turn into a stage for protest against US immigration raids

This year’s Grammys ceremony unfolded against a charged political backdrop, with several artists using their moments on stage to denounce the United States government’s crackdown on immigrants and the actions of Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Throughout Sunday night’s awards, performers including Bad Bunny and Billie Eilish appeared wearing badges that read “ICE OUT”, turning the spotlight of one of the music industry’s biggest nights toward the ongoing raids that have sparked mass protests and, according to reports, resulted in deaths both on the streets and in detention.

Accepting a Grammy for his album Debi Tirar Mas Fotos, Bad Bunny made his message explicit.

“Ice out,” he said. “We’re not savages, we’re not animals, we’re not aliens; we are humans, and we are Americans.” His remarks landed as tensions continue to build nationwide over immigration enforcement tactics.

The political edge sharpened further given the attention surrounding Bad Bunny’s upcoming Super Bowl halftime performance. Kristi Noem has warned that federal agents would be heavily present at the February 8 event, saying only “law-abiding Americans who love this country” should attend, according to a New York Times report cited in October.

Billie Eilish echoed the anger from the podium after winning for her song “Wildflower”.

“F*** ICE,” she said. “No one is illegal on stolen land.” The blunt statement drew applause and underscored how far the evening had shifted from celebration to confrontation.

Other musicians framed the mood more somberly. Damian Kulash, frontman of OK Go, told Reuters that finding joy at the ceremony felt “a little bit irresponsible” under the circumstances.

“Our own government has raised an army of … masked anonymous men to attack its own people, and that feels utterly irresponsible for us to be celebrating anything right now,” he said.

Justin Vernon, whose band Bon Iver was nominated for best alternative music album, chose a quieter symbol. He wore a whistle to honour legal observers documenting the actions of federal agents during street protests.

Advocates watching the ceremony say the outpouring of dissent was more than performative. Jess Morales Rocketto, executive director of Maremoto, told The Associated Press that the statements represented something deeper than a fleeting red carpet gesture. She pointed to the commercial pressures artists face, from record labels to corporate sponsors, that often discourage overt political speech.