Bad Bunny he used his acceptance speech at the Grammy 2026 as an opportunity to speak out against US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
“Before I thank God, I’m going to say ICE out,” the 31-year-old Puerto Rican singer said. accepted the award for Best Urban Music Album by Debí Tirr Más Fotos at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Sunday, February 1st. “We are not savages, we are not animals, we are not aliens. We are human and we are Americans.”
Bad Bunny (real name Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio) continued: “I want to tell people, I know it’s hard not to hate these days, and I was thinking that we’re polluted; I don’t know how to say it in English.” (The English translation of “contaminados” is “contaminated”).
“Hate grows stronger with more hate,” he added. “The only thing more powerful than hate is love. So please, we have to be different. If we fight, we have to do it with love. We don’t hate them. We love our people, we love our family and this is the way to do it. With love. Please don’t forget.”
Bad Bunny concluded, “Thank God and thank the Academy.”
The rapper also took home the award for Best Global Music Performance for “EoO.”
Bad Bunny was also nominated for Best Album Cover, Song of the Year and Record of the Year for “DtMF” and Album of the Year for Debí Tirar Más Fotos. His award for Best Urban Music is the third time he has won the award.
Bad Bunny’s acceptance speech comes a week before he is set to perform the halftime show at the 2026 Super Bowl, which is expected to have an ICE presence.
The National Football League announced in September 2025 that the “Tití Me Preguntó” singer would take the stage at the big game on February 8, which will pit the Seattle Seahawks against the New England Patriots.
Bad Bunny said in a statement at the time: “What I’m feeling is beyond myself,” Bad Bunny said in a statement. “It’s for those who came before me and ran countless yards so I could come in and score a touchdown … this is for my people, my culture and our history. Go tell your grandma, we’ll be the SUPER BOWL HALFTIME SHOW.”
The NFL’s decision to pick Bad Bunny as the halftime show The performer sparked a wave of backlash among conservative politicians and public figures, including the secretary of Homeland Security and the former governor of South Dakota. Kristi NoemWHO promised to send ICE agents of the game.
Seemingly ever since the NFL announced that Bad Bunny would headline the Super Bowl LX Halftime Show, the biggest news has come about the league’s selection. Critics have said viewers won’t be able to connect with someone who performs primarily in Spanish, while her fans have pointed to the three-time Grammy (…)
“There will be ICE enforcement at the Super Bowl. There will be, because the Department of Homeland Security is responsible for keeping it safe, so I have a responsibility to make sure that everyone who goes to the Super Bowl has a chance to enjoy it and leave, and that’s what America is about,” Noem, 53, told right-wing podcast host Benny Johnson.
She continued, “We’re going to be all over that place … We’re going to enforce the law. So I don’t think people should come to the Super Bowl unless they’re law-abiding Americans who love this country.”
Bad Bunny was quick address the reaction during his Saturday night live Organization of a concert in October 2025.
“You may not know this, but I’m doing the Super Bowl Halftime Show. I’m very happy and I think everyone is very happy about it! Even Fox News,” he joked. “Seriously, I’m really excited to do the Super Bowl and I know the people around the world who love my music are happy too.”