Global superstar Bad Bunny is skipping the US on his upcoming world tour due to fears of immigration raids against his largely Latino audience. In a Wednesday interview with i-D magazine, the Puerto Rican rapper and singer said concerns about possible Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids at his concerts were one of "many reasons" he opted to avoid the US. The three-time Grammy winner, born Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, pointed to an uptick in ICE activity following President Trump's re-election and noted the agency now seeks at least 3,000 arrests daily. "There was the issue of—like, f---ing ICE could be outside [my concert]," the 31-year-old explained, adding that his team discussed the risks at length.
Bad Bunny has performed in the US many times, but previously told Variety that another US tour felt "unnecessary." He told i-D that US fans who want to see him live can catch his ongoing residency in Puerto Rico. It wraps up Sunday after "attracting tourists from around the world and injecting nearly $200 million into the island's economy," per Forbes. Bad Bunny's global tour then kicks off in November in the Dominican Republic. ICE's growing presence has led to several Latino cultural events being canceled across the country, as organizers fear gatherings could become targets, per the Guardian. Advocates warn of legalized racial profiling in the US after the Supreme Court's move empowering agents to stop people in Los Angeles for speaking Spanish or appearing Latino.
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