The Grammy-winning artist joins a growing chorus of musicians denouncing U.S. immigration raids as ICE detains hundreds—mostly Dominicans—across Puerto Rico and mainland cities.
Global music icon and Puerto Rican native Bad Bunny has ignited fresh outrage over U.S. immigration enforcement actions after publicly condemning an ICE operation in Carolina, Puerto Rico. In a video shared to his Instagram Stories on Tuesday, the Grammy-winning artist (real name Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio) can be heard furiously criticizing agents seen escorting individuals into unmarked vehicles on Avenida Pontezuela.
“Those motherf—ers are in these cars, RAV-4s. They’re here in Pontezuela. Sons of bitches, instead of letting the people alone and working,” he said in Spanish, overlaying the video with real-time commentary.
The incident appears to be part of a broader federal crackdown targeting undocumented immigrants. According to The New York Times, more than 500 individuals have been detained across Puerto Rico in recent months, with Dominican nationals making up an estimated 75% of those arrested.
While ICE operations have long been controversial, their presence in Puerto Rico—a U.S. territory with a majority Hispanic population—has struck a particularly raw nerve. Bad Bunny’s remarks shine a glaring spotlight on the real-time trauma many are experiencing in his home country.
A Rising Chorus of Resistance
The backlash against ICE operations is not limited to Bad Bunny. Numerous artists and public figures have taken vocal stands against what they see as the aggressive and discriminatory practices of the Trump administration’s immigration policy.
At a June 14 baseball game at Dodger Stadium, singer Nezza defied instructions by performing the national anthem in Spanish—a deliberate act of cultural defiance. That same day, actor Mark Ruffalo called demonstrators “the Avengers” during a fiery speech at a military parade protest in New York, denouncing the government’s “militarised suppression” of peaceful voices.
Music producer and artist Finneas revealed he was tear-gassed at a peaceful protest in Los Angeles. “They’re inciting this,” he wrote to followers. “F— ICE.” Meanwhile, pop sensation Sabrina Carpenter urged fans to support the National Immigration Law Center, while Olivia Rodrigo voiced her outrage over what she described as the “violent deportations” targeting her Los Angeles community.
“I’ve lived in LA my whole life,” Rodrigo posted on Instagram, “and I’m deeply upset about these violent deportations of my neighbors under the current administration. Treating hardworking community members with such little respect, empathy, and due process is awful.”
“This Is Fear, Not Order”
The resistance has spread across award show stages too. At the June 9 BET Awards, rapper Doechii used her platform to highlight the trauma these actions are causing. “There are ruthless attacks that are creating fear and chaos in our communities in the name of law and order,” she declared. “Trump is using military forces to stop a protest. What type of government is that?”
The mounting chorus of celebrity dissent underscores a deeper cultural reckoning around immigration, race, and state authority. Bad Bunny’s viral condemnation adds a powerful, personal voice to a growing movement—and brings renewed attention to the disproportionate targeting of immigrants from the Dominican Republic in U.S. territories.
As protests continue and deportations escalate, one thing is clear: artists are no longer staying silent, and the world is listening.
