When Celebrity Activism Meets State Power
THE CLAIM: Bad Bunny called for the abolition of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) during his acceptance speech at the 2019 Latin Grammys, framing it as a humanitarian appeal. News outlets largely reported this as a bold, if controversial, stance. THE EVIDENCE: The call itself was direct and unambiguous: 'ICE out.' This resonated with segments of the public increasingly aware of ICE's role
in detaining and deporting undocumented immigrants, often leading to family separation. A 2019 report by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) extensively documented human rights abuses and due process violations within ICE detention facilities, including medical neglect and punitive isolation. THE CONTRADICTIONS: While the sentiment 'ICE out' gained traction, particularly among progressive
audiences and those familiar with abuses at the US border (a border that saw a 400% increase in migrant children held in detention between 2018-2019, according to federal data), the broader scope of systematic state violence often goes unaddressed in similar forums. For instance, few, if any, Grammy stages have seen calls to dismantle institutions responsible for overseas coups, drone warfare, or
mass incarceration, despite their profound human cost. The framing often suggests that certain issues are acceptable for celebrity advocacy, while others, perhaps more inconvenient to powerful interests, are not. THE NETWORK: The entertainment industry, while often leaning liberal on social issues, operates within a broader corporate and political ecosystem that benefits from maintaining the