Bad Bunny could face ICE threat at Super Bowl; ex-Trump advisor sends ‘hate America’ warning

Bad Bunny’s upcoming Super Bowl halftime performance has already sparked controversy, and not for his music

Bad Bunny’s upcoming Super Bowl halftime performance has already sparked controversy, and not for his music. Former Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski warned that the Puerto Rican's nightmare could come true- Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) will ‘make their presence known’ at the Super Bowl next year.

Puerto Rican singer Bad Bunny poses in the press room during the 96th Annual Academy Awards at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood(AFP)

Appearing on conservative host Benny Johnson’s show, Lewandowski claimed, “There is nowhere you can provide safe haven to people who are in this country illegally. Not the Super Bowl and nowhere else.”

He added that the immigration crackdown is not about who headlines the show, stressing, “I don’t care whose concert it is … if you’re illegal, you’re getting kicked out of the country.”

The halftime stage belongs to Bad Bunny in February 2026. The Puerto Rican superstar, who recently wrapped a massive 30-show residency in San Juan, expressed his excitement about representing his island and Latinos on one of the world’s biggest stages. “It’s an honor,” he told I-D magazine, though he also admitted concerns about ICE were a factor in not extending his residency to the US mainland.

Lewandowski, however, used those remarks to criticize the NFL’s choice. “It’s shameful the NFL chose someone who seems to hate America so much to represent them at the halftime show,” he told Johnson.

Still, even while blasting Bad Bunny, Lewandowski insisted his comments weren’t about the artist himself but about immigration enforcement. “We should be trying to be inclusive, not exclusive,” he said. “There are plenty of great bands and entertainment people who could be playing at that show that would be bringing people together and not separating them.”

Bad Bunny has spoken about President Trump's immigration crackdown before. The 31-year-old did not make any appearance in the US during his recent world tour.

"I've been thinking about it these days, and after discussing it with my team, I think I'll do just one date in the United States," he posted on X, platform formerly known as Twitter.

He had previously stated that he has seen ICE as an issue.

“There were many reasons why I didn’t show up in the U.S., and none of them were out of hate — I’ve performed there many times,” he told i-D magazine. “I’ve enjoyed connecting with Latinos who have been living in the US But specifically, for a residency here in Puerto Rico, when we are an unincorporated territory of the US."

“People from the US could come here to see the show. Latinos and Puerto Ricans of the United States could also travel here, or to any part of the world,” he added. “But there was the issue of — like, (expletive) ICE could be outside."