From the Liveblog of
Monday, February 2, 2026
Music’s biggest stars use the Grammys stage to protest Trump’s immigration crackdown
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Pushback against US President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown from music’s biggest stars is visible from the Grammys red carpet and throughout the telecast.
Activists spent the week pressing celebrities to don pins protesting the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement presence in cities, working with their teams to spread the message and circulating them at the many events leading up to the ceremony.
Billie Eilish, Finneas and Carole King wear pins while appearing onstage. Even Justin and Hailey Bieber, who don’t normally address American politics, have them. Eilish begins her song of the year speech by professing that “no one is illegal on stolen land.”
British soul pop singer Olivia Dean, recognized as best new artist, shares that she is the granddaughter of an immigrant — people who she says “deserve to be celebrated.”
Expletives fly as US Immigration and Customs Enforcement gets cursed multiple times by winners including Kehlani.
“Before I say thanks to God, I’m gonna say: ICE out,” Bad Bunny says to great applause while accepting the award for best música urbana album. “We’re not savage, we’re not animals, we’re not aliens. We are humans and we are Americans.”
The frequent pushback and buttons’ prevalence mark a much stronger showing of support than organizers saw at last month’s Golden Globes.
Public backlash has grown since a US Border Patrol officer shot and killed 37-year-old nurse Alex Pretti and federal agents detained 5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos. The recent arrest of journalist Don Lemon, who attended Sunday’s ceremony, only added to the outcry.
The Times of Israel Community.