Puerto Rican singer-songwriter Bad Bunny on Saturday night poked fun at the backlash he has received from conservatives since being announced as this NFL season's Super Bowl halftime show performer.
The award-winning artist, hosting NBC's "Saturday Night Live" for the second time, said during his opening monologue that he is "very happy" to be Super Bowl LX's musical headliner, quipping — to laughter — that "everyone is happy about it, even Fox News."
Conservative pundits have slammed the NFL's choice of Bad Bunny, focusing largely on his political views and the fact that his songs are primarily in Spanish. Bad Bunny also has said he will not tour in the mainland U.S. due to concerns that his fans could be targeted by federal immigration enforcement.
In response to the halftime show announcement, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) adviser Corey Lewandowski said during a podcast appearance on Wednesday that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) will attend the 2026 Super Bowl.
“It’s so shameful that they’ve decided to pick somebody who just seems to hate America so much to represent them at the halftime game,” Lewandowski said.
"I don’t care if it’s a concert for Johnny Smith or Bad Bunny or anybody else," he added. "We’re going to do enforcement everywhere. We are going to make Americans safe. That is a directive from the president. If you’re in this country illegally, do yourself a favor: go home.”
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt later said on Friday there was “no tangible plan” for ICE officers to attend the big game. But Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem made separate comments on Friday declaring that department officials will "be all over that place," adding that the NFL will not be “able to sleep at night” over its decision to pick the Puerto Rican superstar.
"We’re going to enforce the law,” she told conservative podcaster Benny Johnson. “So I think people should not be coming to the Super Bowl unless there are law-abiding Americans who love this country.”
Bad Bunny did not address any possible ICE attendance plans for the Super Bowl during his SNL monologue Saturday night. But he did speak to the audience in Spanish at one point, saying he was appreciative of all the Latinos and Latinas around the world as well as those in the U.S. "who have worked to open doors," according to an online translation. He added in Spanish that "no one can ever erase or take away our mark and our contribution to this country."
"If you didn't understand what I just said, you have four months to learn," he said in English, to applause.
The Super Bowl is set for Feb. 8, 2026, in Santa Clara, Calif.
Source: The Hill - News
