Puerto Rican rapper Bad Bunny released his tour dates for 2026, but fans were concerned the U.S. was excluded. The rapper was worried the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement would raid his venues and disrupt the concerts, as they have in the past.
“People from the US could come here to see the show,” Bad Bunny said to i-D magazine. “Latinos and Puerto Ricans of the United States could also travel here, or to any part of the world. But there was the issue that … ICE could be outside (my concert venue). And it’s something that we were talking about and very concerned about.”
Bad Bunny said his reasons for not coming to the U.S. are not out of hate. Born in Puerto Rico, the rapper is a U.S. citizen himself. He has performed in the country many times before and said he has enjoyed getting to know other Latinos who live here. The rapper even encouraged his U.S. fans to travel internationally to see him.
The refusal to travel to the U.S. may negatively impact his career, as he is missing out on major venues and media coverage.
This is not the first time the artist has made protest decisions. In the past, he has supported LGBTQIA+ rights, women’s rights and the fight against Puerto Rican corruption.
Most other Latino artists silently deal with the fear of ICE raiding their concerts. Artists with immigrant audiences have many fans who avoid concerts for fear of being caught.
Over the summer, vocalist Jane Eugene was detained by ICE. She was detained due to overstaying her visa for over 20 years.
Despite living in the country for over two decades, Eugene was denied entry into Canada due to the lack of correct documentation.
There were many arguments made about being grandfathered into the country, as well as laws that allow someone to reapply for a visa after expiration legally. A GoFundMe was opened to raise money for Eugene and raised over $16,000.
Los Angeles hosts the Santa Fe Springs Swap Meet, a flea market that attracts a predominantly Latino demographic. Earlier this year, dozens of armed ICE agents raided the festival and made two arrests. Major musical artists were not present, but it drew attention to the frequency of ICE raids.
Punk rock band UK Subs was denied entry into the U.S. Comments were made that the bassist, Alvin Gibbs, was barred due to anti-President Donald Trump comments he had made. He and most of his bandmates were deported soon after. Charlie Harper, the vocalist, was the only one who was allowed to stay. Due to this, he performed the band’s set with stand-in performers.
FKA Twigs, another English musical artist, canceled her visit a few weeks before Coachella because she didn’t submit her visa applications in time.
Passports are not the only issue for incoming artists. Bells Larsen is a transgender Canadian musician who has produced songs that represent underrepresented audiences. As it resonated with his fans, he announced he was going on tour to major U.S. cities, such as, New York, Boston and Los Angeles.
When attempting to get a work visa to travel, Immigration Services said Larsen had to use the gender he was assigned at birth, even though he had already changed his Canadian passport. This forced the singer to cancel his tour.
The gender and passport issues do not pertain to ICE in the same way Bad Bunny’s do, but they highlight the common themes of the U.S. being difficult to tour in. The difference is that the rapper had the option to tour and chose not to.
Bad Bunny’s stance may impact the future of other artists who go on tour. Although he said this was for the safety of his fans, it could also be a political statement for change.
Bad Bunny not touring in the U.S. may be disappointing to some of his fans, but the safety of many others is clearly the most important thing for the artist. Hopefully, his decision will spark some healthy outcomes and allow for smaller musicians to make the same decisions.
