Kristi Noem Says ICE Will Be ‘All Over’ Bad Bunny Super Bowl Halftime Show: The NFL ‘Sucks and We’ll Win and God Will Bless Us’

During an appearance on Benny Johnson's program, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem verified that a significant number of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents will be stationed at the 2026 Super Bowl. She emphasized that these officers will be present to strictly enforce federal immigration laws throughout the event. Noem, who oversees the department responsible for border security, framed this security measure as a fundamental duty to protect all attendees, describing public safety as a core American principle.

Expanding on this, the Secretary characterized the Super Bowl as an occasion intended for "law-abiding Americans who love this country." Her remarks were a direct response to host Benny Johnson's assertion that the NFL's selection of Bad Bunny for the halftime show constituted a political message aimed at Donald Trump. Noem retorted forcefully, stating, "They suck and we’ll win and God will bless us," while positioning her side as confident and resolute against what she labeled the weakness of detractors. This exchange highlights a recurring political strategy of leveraging major cultural spectacles to communicate hardline immigration stances, a tactic frequently used to energize a specific segment of the electorate.

The initial alert regarding the planned ICE operation was issued by Corey Lewandowski, a former campaign manager for Donald Trump, during his own commentary on the same broadcast. He warned that individuals present in the country unlawfully would find no refuge, even at a high-profile event like the Super Bowl. He clarified that, guided by the current administration's policies, the objective is to locate, detain, and deport such individuals, marking a definitive shift from the enforcement approaches of previous presidencies.

This heightened enforcement climate directly impacts global superstar Bad Bunny, who is scheduled for the halftime performance. The artist, whose groundbreaking album "Un Verano Sin Ti" was the first all-Spanish language record to be nominated for Album of the Year at the Grammys, had already voiced apprehension about ICE in a September interview with I-D magazine. He revealed his fear that "fucking ICE could be outside [my concert]," a concern that influenced his decision to host a major concert residency in Puerto Rico instead of the continental U.S. He was careful to clarify that this choice was not born of animosity, noting his history of sold-out U.S. tours and his profound connection with his Latino audience stateside. By opting for Puerto Rico—a U.S. territory with a distinct legal relationship to federal immigration authorities—he effectively created a space where his mainland fans could experience the show without confronting the same immediate anxieties, illustrating the complex interplay between territorial status and personal security for artists and their followers.