Pop star Zara Larsson says harsh U.S. immigration rules have kept her partner out of the country for six years—and she’s done staying quiet.
Zara Larsson is shifting the spotlight from celebrity outrage to personal cost.
The Swedish pop star is condemning U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) after revealing that her longtime partner has been unable to visit her in the United States for years because of an old, non-violent offense.
Over the weekend, Larsson posted a series of emotional Instagram stories criticizing ICE and the broader immigration system. Her comments came amid nationwide anger following the fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good, a Minnesota poet and community volunteer, by an ICE agent during an enforcement operation.
While some reactions focused on Larsson’s blunt language, the singer later clarified her point: immigration policy isn’t abstract to her—it has shaped her relationship. Larsson explained that her partner, Swedish dancer Lamin Holmén, has been barred from entering the U.S. since they began dating six years ago due to a past marijuana-related offense.
According to Larsson, Holmén no longer has a criminal record under Swedish law, yet the U.S. ban remains. “It’s frustrating,” she wrote, arguing that non-violent drug offenses continue to carry lifelong consequences, especially in immigration systems that leave little room for context or growth.
Larsson also highlighted what she sees as racial inequality in enforcement, saying that people of color are disproportionately arrested and jailed for similar crimes.
Her frustration reflects a wider debate over whether immigration and criminal justice policies unfairly punish certain communities while ignoring systemic harm.
In one of her final posts, Larsson struck a more reflective tone. While condemning ICE as an institution, she suggested that change begins with recognizing the humanity in individuals, even those working within systems she strongly opposes.
Larsson joins a growing list of artists—including Billie Eilish, Neil Young, and Joe Keery—who have publicly criticized ICE and the Trump administration’s immigration approach following Good’s death. The controversy has already led to tangible fallout, with ICE reportedly pulling advertising from Spotify.
For Larsson, however, the issue remains deeply personal. “This is what these laws do,” she implied—not just at borders, but inside real relationships, quietly and for years.
