Country music star condemns ICE for “kidnapping” immigrants and even U.S. citizens, calling their enforcement tactics “insane” during a recent radio interview.
R&B star Kehlani is speaking out against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), accusing the agency of “kidnapping” immigrants — including American citizens — during routine parts of their daily lives.
In a recent appearance on Los Angeles radio show Big Boy’s Neighborhood, Kehlani and host Big Boy discussed the political climate and ongoing concerns about immigration enforcement tactics.
Kehlani didn’t hold back, calling out what they described as frightening and unjust practices.
“They’re kidnapping [people] out of schools, and jobs, and homes, and churches,” Kehlani said during the interview. Big Boy agreed, adding that people are even targeted when they try to handle their immigration paperwork.
Kehlani also claimed that ICE has detained U.S. citizens, saying the agency is “checking for Spanish-adjacent last names,” which they called “insane.”
The singer has been outspoken on human rights issues throughout the past year, often at personal and professional cost. In 2024, Kehlani revealed that multiple tour dates were canceled and that industry collaborators distanced themselves due to the artist’s vocal support for Palestine.
In a social media post at the time, Kehlani said they were repeatedly denied features: “Every single person was like, ‘Yeah,’ and then they just ghosted me.”
Despite those setbacks, Kehlani has seen a major career resurgence in 2025. Their single “Folded” became the singer’s first top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 and earned two Grammy nominations.
Kehlani also released a star-studded collection of “Folded” remixes featuring Toni Braxton, Brandy, JoJo, Mario, Ne-Yo and Tank.
This year, Kehlani expanded their collaborations even further, appearing on tracks with Cardi B (“Safe”), Mariah Carey and Shenseea (“Sugar Sweet”), Leon Thomas (“Dirt on My Shoes”), and kwn (“Worst Behaviour”).
Kehlani’s criticism of ICE adds to their growing profile as an artist unafraid to take political stances — even when those stances come with consequences.
