Hollywood’s political theater was in full swing at this year’s Grammy Awards — and the White House is done pretending it’s harmless celebrity chatter.
Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt blasted the entertainment industry this week after several performers used the nationally televised show to push anti-ICE and anti-border enforcement rhetoric, accusing wealthy stars of demonizing law enforcement while hiding behind walls of private security most Americans could never afford.
The February 1 ceremony quickly turned from a music celebration into a familiar showcase of progressive activism. Among the loudest voices was Puerto Rican pop star Bad Bunny, who used his time on stage to attack Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
“Before I say thanks to God, I’m going to say ICE out,” he declared, framing immigration enforcement as an act of hate and urging the audience to “fight with love.” He went on to claim that illegal immigrants are treated like “animals,” insisting, “We’re not savage…we are humans and we are Americans.”
The speech drew cheers inside the arena — but sharp criticism outside it.
Speaking to reporters at the White House, Leavitt called out what she described as the glaring hypocrisy of celebrity activists who condemn border enforcement while living insulated lives far removed from the consequences of illegal immigration.
“I think it’s very ironic and frankly sad to see celebrities who live in gated communities with private security, with millions of dollars to spend protecting themselves, trying to demonize law enforcement,” she said. “These are public servants who enforce the laws of the United States.”
Leavitt argued that Hollywood’s outrage is selective — and politically convenient. During the Biden-era border surge, she noted, many of the same voices now condemning enforcement were silent as communities struggled with crime, strained social services, and public safety concerns.
“You didn’t hear this same uproar from celebrities when the previous administration allowed an invasion of our nation’s borders,” she said.
The press secretary pointed to high-profile crimes committed by illegal immigrants as examples of the real-world stakes of immigration policy, arguing that the victims rarely receive the same attention from celebrity activists.
“They didn’t say a word when innocent Americans were killed by people who should never have been in this country in the first place,” Leavitt said. “Now law enforcement is trying to remove violent predators, and suddenly Hollywood finds its voice.”
Her comments reflect a broader frustration among conservatives who see elite cultural institutions as increasingly disconnected from the everyday concerns of working Americans. While celebrities frame immigration enforcement as cruelty, many voters view it as a basic function of sovereignty and public safety.
The Grammys moment underscores a growing divide: an entertainment class eager to moralize from the stage, and a public that lives with the policy consequences long after the applause fades. For the administration, the message is simple — enforcing immigration law isn’t hate. It’s governance.
And no amount of red-carpet activism changes that reality.
