If you thought the Super Bowl was just about touchdowns and halftime shows, think again. As Bad Bunny prepares to headline the 2026 Super Bowl Halftime Show, ICE agents are reportedly gearing up for a visible presence outside Levi’s Stadium. And, they’re turning what should be a football celebration into a full-on political spectacle.
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Bad Bunny, Green Day, And The ICE Factor
The announcement comes after President Trump publicly criticized the 2026 performers, including Bad Bunny and Green Day, and confirmed he would be boycotting the event. The Puerto Rican superstar, Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, openly avoids touring the U.S., fearing ICE could target his fans. Now, with the Department of Homeland Security confirming ICE operations at the game, those fears are closer to reality than ever.
Even The Big Game Won’t Stop Enforcement
Corey Lewandowski, chief adviser to DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, has made it clear that this is no temporary security measure. During an October 2025 podcast appearance, Lewandowski warned that there would be “nowhere that you can provide safe haven” for undocumented attendees. “Not the Super Bowl and nowhere else,” he said, emphasizing that enforcement would continue even during the biggest sporting event of the year.
“There is nowhere that you can provide safe haven to people in this country illegally. Not the Super Bowl and nowhere else. We will find you. We will apprehend you. We will put you in a detention facility, and we will deport you. So know that that is a very real situation under this administration, which is completely contrary to what how it used to be.”
CONFIRMED: ICE will be active and on-site at Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl performance.
Trump Advisor Corey Lewandowski warns: there’s no place ICE won’t go to remove criminal aliens from the US, even the Super Bowl:
"There is nowhere you can provide safe haven to people who are in… pic.twitter.com/kfKlGcuR7Q
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) October 1, 2025
Justice? Or Just Intimidation? Federal Security Gets Real
Tricia McLaughlin, Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs for DHS, later confirmed that the plan is moving forward. Speaking with TMZ just days before the game, McLaughlin emphasized that the operation is “a whole of government response” conducted in line with the Constitution. She also framed the presence of ICE as part of standard major-event security. However, critics argue it sends an intimidating message to immigrant communities.
“DHS is committed to working with our local and federal partners to ensure the Super Bowl is safe for everyone involved, as we do with every major sporting event, including the World Cup. Our mission remains unchanged. We will not disclose future operations or discuss personnel. Super Bowl security will entail a whole of government response conducted in-line with the U.S. Constitution. Those who are here legally and are not breaking other laws have nothing to fear.”
