Bad Bunny Speaks Out Against ICE Raids in Puerto Rico

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Bad Bunny has taken a strong public stance against recent immigration raids by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Puerto Rico, using his platform to shed light on the situation unfolding on the island.

In a video shared to his Instagram Stories, the 31-year-old Puerto Rican artist called attention to the presence of ICE agents in Carolina, a city near San Juan. "Look, those motherf— are in these cars, RAV4s. They’re here on Pontezuela Avenue, instead of leaving the people alone and working," he said, expressing frustration over the raids.

Puerto Rico, a U.S. territory, has experienced a surge in ICE enforcement operations since the start of President Trump's second term. Many of those affected are from the Dominican Republic, with an estimated population of over 55,000 Dominicans living in Puerto Rico, according to the Associated Press. For years, Dominican immigrants on the island have been able to obtain driver’s licenses and open bank accounts with documentation that acknowledges their immigration status.

However, NPR reports that ICE has made nearly 500 arrests in Puerto Rico in recent years, 75% of which involved Dominican nationals. Fewer than 80 of those arrested had any criminal record, and the most frequent offense cited was reentry after deportation.

A major challenge for detainees in Puerto Rico is the requirement to be transferred to the mainland U.S. for processing, often separating them from their legal support and ongoing cases. “It creates a great difficulty,” said Annette Martínez Orabona, a lawyer with the ACLU, “especially because Puerto Rico is not contiguous with the mainland. It’s not a matter of just getting in a car and getting there.”

Bad Bunny joins a growing list of Latin music artists, including Becky G, Fuerza Regida, Ivan Cornejo, Junior H, Grupo Frontera, and Maná, who are speaking up in support of immigrant communities and calling for more humane treatment.