The 2026 Grammy Awards were held in Los Angeles on Sunday night. But for many of those in attendance, their thoughts were with Minneapolis, where the recent fatal shootings of Alex Pretti and Renee Good during President Trump’s ongoing Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations have stirred nationwide outrage.
“Before I say thanks to God, I’m going to say ICE out,” Bad Bunny said while accepting a Grammy Award for Best Música Urbana Album for Debí Tirar Más Fotos.
“We’re not savage, we’re not animals, we’re not aliens,” said the Puerto Rican star, who is headlining next week’s Super Bowl halftime show. “We are humans and we are Americans.”
“I know it’s tough to not hate these days. And I was thinking, sometimes we get ‘contaminado,’ I don’t know how to say that in English. The hate gets more powerful with more hate,” he continued. “The only thing that is more powerful than hate is love. So please, we need 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 that’s the way to do it — with love. Don’t forget that, please.”
Later, while accepting his Album of the Year Grammy, Bad Bunny said: “I want to dedicate this award to all the people who had to leave their homeland, their country, to follow their dreams.”
Finneas O’Connell and Billie Eilish accept the Grammy for Song of the Year.
(Kevin Winter via Getty Images)
Billie Eilish, who won the Grammy for Song of the Year for “Wildflower,” also used her acceptance speech to protest against ICE.
“As grateful as I feel, I honestly don’t feel like I need to say anything, but, that no one is illegal on stolen land,” Eilish said. “I feel like we just need to keep fighting and speaking up and protesting, and our voices really do matter, and the people matter.”
Before walking off stage, she added: “F*** ICE.”
Kehlani, who won the Best R&B Performance Grammy for “Folded,” concluded her acceptance speech with the same phrase.
Olivia Dean accepts the Best New Artist award at the Grammys.
(Johnny Nunez via Getty Images)
British singer-songwriter Olivia Dean, who won the Grammy for Best New Artist, noted during her speech that she is “up here as a granddaughter of an immigrant.”
“I’m a product of bravery, and I think those people deserve to be celebrated,” she said.
Shaboozey dedicated his first Grammy — Best Country Duo/Group Performance for “Amen,” his collaboration with Jelly Roll — to the “children of immigrants.”
“This is also for those who came to this country in search of better opportunity to be a part of a nation that promised freedom for all and equal opportunity to everyone willing to work for it,” said the country star, whose parents are from Nigeria. “Thank you for bringing your culture, your music, your stories and your traditions here. You give America color.”
Justin Bieber and Hailey Bieber at the Grammy Awards.
(Etienne Laurent/AFP via Getty Images)
The ‘Ice Out’ pin worn by Justin Bieber.
(Etienne Laurent/AFP via Getty Images)
Many attendees, including Eilish, Joni Mitchell, Brandi Carlile, Jack Antonoff and Justin and Hailey Bieber, wore buttons emblazoned with the phrase “ICE Out.”
Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon wore a bright-orange whistle on his lapel, which he said was “to honor the observers in Minneapolis.”
“They blow the whistles when they see ICE coming,” Vernon said. “And they’re there to protect their community.”
Justin Vernon of Bon Iver.
(Gilbert Flores via Getty Images)
Gloria Estefan, who picked up her fifth career Grammy — this one for best tropical Latin album, Raíces — told reporters backstage that she hopes “our government listens to our plea for humanity.”
“I don’t think anyone would say we want a free-for-all at the border, but what is happening is not criminals being arrested,” the Cuban-American singer-songwriter said. “These are people that have families, that have contributed to this country for decades, little children. There’s hundreds of children in detention centers. It’s inhumane.”
In a post on X, comedian Ricky Gervais appeared to mock the acceptance speeches, sharing an excerpt from his 2020 Golden Globes monologue in which he warned attendees not to use them as a political platform.
“They’re still not listening,” Gervais wrote.