Lewandowski says ICE will enforce immigration at Super Bowl halftime, igniting backlash.
A senior adviser aligned with the Trump administration said U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents will conduct enforcement at the 2026 Super Bowl and its halftime show, comments that reignited concerns about immigration policing at high-profile cultural events.
Corey Lewandowski, a longtime adviser to Donald Trump who now supports the Department of Homeland Security, made the remarks during an Oct. 1 appearance on The Benny Show podcast, responding to a question about whether ICE would have a presence for the Bad Bunny halftime performance.
“There is nowhere you can provide safe haven to people who are in this country illegally,” Lewandowski said. “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 added that the enforcement posture represents a directive from the president.
Lewandowski also criticized the selection of Bad Bunny as the halftime headliner, calling the choice “shameful” and accusing the artist of “hating America.” His comments came days after the Puerto Rican superstar, Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, was announced on Sept. 28 as the halftime performer for Super Bowl LX at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., scheduled for Feb. 8, 2026.
Bad Bunny, who celebrated the booking as meaningful for Puerto Ricans and Latinos, acknowledged concerns about performing in the United States amid current immigration enforcement. In a statement and interviews following the announcement, the artist said he and his team set plans to limit U.S. dates: “I think I’ll do just one date in the United States,” he posted on X, and told Apple Music hosts he was excited for his family and culture to be represented on the big stage.
The exchange underscores tensions between cultural representation and immigration policy. Bad Bunny has previously explained that worries about ICE presence influenced tour decisions, saying in a recent interview that concerns the agency “could be outside [my concert]” factored into where he performed.
Supporters of strict enforcement say the presence of federal agents is a lawful effort to uphold immigration laws and protect public safety, while critics argue such operations could chill attendance at cultural events and disproportionately affect Latino communities. As the Super Bowl approaches, organizers, artists and federal authorities will likely face scrutiny over how enforcement actions are balanced with public access to live entertainment.
In a bold declaration that merges migration policy with cultural spectacle, a Trump-aligned adviser has announced that ICE agents will be stationed at the upcoming Super Bowl and halftime show — a move clearly intended to cast immigration enforcement into America’s biggest entertainment event.
Lewandowski’s warning that “we will find you and apprehend you” framed the announcement as a broad enforcement posture that extends beyond any single performer or venue.
The timing—mere days after Bad Bunny’s selection as the halftime headliner—heightens the friction between politics and performance. The Puerto Rican artist, who has openly described fears about ICE presence influencing his past U.S. touring decisions, now faces a stark choice: accept a high-profile platform that many see as a celebration of Latino culture or allow concerns about enforcement to limit live engagement with U.S. audiences.
As enforcement edges into the stadium, the debate raises a sharper question about whether cultural moments can remain spaces of shared experience, or whether they will increasingly reflect the partisan tensions that surround immigration policy.
