Bad Bunny Says He Opted Out of U.S. Tour Dates Due to ICE Raid Concerns

Bad Bunny didn’t include any United States stops on his Debí Tirar Más Fotos World Tour due worries of potential ICE raids at his concerts. 

In a Wednesday profile with i-D magazine, the three-time Grammy Award winner reflected on his decision to not visit the U.S. on the upcoming tour. When asked if this was due to “concern about [the mass deportations of] Latinos in the United States,” Bad Bunny replied, “Man, honestly, yes.” 

“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. All of [the shows] have been successful,” he explained. “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. But there was the issue of — like, fucking ICE could be outside [my concert]. And it’s something that we were talking about and very concerned about.” 

The superstar and Happy Gilmore 2 actor previously slammed ICE officers for making arrests in Puerto Rico in a post on his Instagram Story. “Those motherfuckers are in these cars, RAV-4s,” Bad Bunny can be heard saying in Spanish in a since-deleted video. “They’re here in Pontezuela. Sons of bitches, instead of letting the people alone and working.”

Bad Bunny’s comments come as international artists have raised concerns in recent months regarding touring under the current administration. Notably, the Chicago Latin music festival Michelada Fest was canceled this May, citing “uncertainty around artist visas and the shifting political climate” under the Trump Administration.

Neil Young, a Canadian-American, penned a letter on his website expressing worry over whether or not he’d be allowed back into the U.S. after his European tour this past summer, due to his vocal criticism of President Donald Trump and his heritage.

“If I come back from Europe and am barred, can’t play my USA tour, all of the folks who bought tickets will not be able to come to a concert by me,” Young wrote. “That is happening all the time now. Countries have new advice for those returning to America. That’s right folks, if you say anything bad about Trump or his administration, you may be barred from re-entering USA. If you are Canadian. If you are a dual citizen like me, who knows? We’ll all find that out together.”

Bad Bunny’s Debí Tirar Más Fotos World Tour kicks off on Nov. 21 in the Dominican Republic. It will end next year in July in Belgium.