The NFL’s decision to name Bad Bunny as the Super Bowl LX Halftime Show performer has quickly turned into one of the most politically charged halftime announcements in recent memory.
What was supposed to have been a celebration for the Puerto Rican superstar’s historic booking has spiralled into a culture war with critics invoking immigration enforcement and even threats of ICE patrols at the Super Bowl.
Former Trump campaign manager and longtime adviser Corey Lewandowski sparked outrage after suggesting that Immigration and Customs Enforcement could target Super Bowl attendees.
CONFIRMED: ICE will be active and on-site at Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl performance.
Trump Advisor Corey Lewandowski warns: there’s no place ICE won’t go to remove criminal aliens from the US, even the Super Bowl:
“There is nowhere you can provide safe haven to people who are in… pic.twitter.com/kfKlGcuR7Q
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) October 1, 2025
Speaking on The Benny Show, Lewandowski said, ‘There is nowhere you can provide safe haven to people who are in this country illegally. Not the Super Bowl and nowhere else. We will find you and apprehend you and put you in a detention facility and deport you.’
He also blasted the NFL for selecting Bad Bunny, calling it ‘shameful’ to choose ‘somebody who seems to hate America so much.’
The comments struck a nerve because Bad Bunny has previously spoken out about ICE raids, even saying he skipped US tour stops out of fear his largely Latino fanbase could be targeted.
In a recent interview with i-D, the Grammy winner said, ‘F—ing ICE could be outside [my concert]. And it’s something that we were talking about and very concerned about.’
Bad Bunny’s Halftime Show: A Historic Achievement
The NFL, Apple Music, and Roc Nation officially announced the 31-year-old performer during halftime of the Cowboys–Packers game on 29 September. ‘This is for my people, my culture, and our history,’ Bad Bunny said in a statement.
Jay-Z, who has helped steer the league’s halftime bookings, praised him as ‘truly inspiring’ for what he has ‘done and continues to do for Puerto Rico.’
The Puerto Rican rapper-singer (born Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio) will be the first artist to give a fully Spanish-language performance on the Super Bowl stage.
Conservative Backlash — and Boycott Calls
While the announcement of Bad Bunny headlining the Super Bowl had brought pride to his fans and Latino Americans, the celebration hasn’t been universal. Right-wing media personalities immediately condemned the choice, painting Bad Bunny as ‘anti-American.’
Megyn Kelly called the booking a ‘middle finger to MAGA.’
Newsmax host Greg Kelly branded him a ‘terrible person’ who ‘hates English.’
Conservative influencer Benny Johnson wrote in a post, ‘Massive Trump hater. Anti-ICE activist. No songs in English.’
Soon after, boycott hashtags began circulating on X (formerly Twitter). Posts comparing the situation to the Bud Light boycott gained traction among pro-Trump circles, ‘🚨 Bad Bunny HATES Trump & ICE… Ready to BOYCOTT the Super Bowl like Bud Light?’ one viral post read.
Another claimed, ‘Boycott the NFL Super Bowl Halftime Show. Demonic influence on display… BOYCOTT!’ The push has spread across conservative influencers, YouTube clips, and political commentary shows, with some even floating the rumour that ICE should ‘show up’ at the game.
For now, the NFL is standing by its decision, and Bad Bunny himself has stayed largely silent on the political storm since the announcement. His talent agency has yet to comment on Lewandowski’s ICE remarks.
Still, with nearly 115 million viewers tuning into last year’s halftime show, the controversy almost guarantees this will be one of the most scrutinised performances in Super Bowl history.
Originally published on IBTimes UK
