The 2026 Super Bowl will be headlined by the Puerto Rican Latin and reggaeton artist, Bad Bunny. Although the singer is popular globally, some netizens have conflicting opinions about featuring Bad Bunny in the halftime show.
Due to the current political climate of the United States, unjust controversies surrounding Bad Bunny’s Latin American heritage have begun to surface. President Donald Trump called the halftime show artist choice “ridiculous” and a poor choice for this iconic US sporting event, according to The New York Post. Other critics online called for a nonsensical deportation of the Puerto Rican artist, despite his U.S. citizenship. (Puerto Rico is a part of the U.S.!).
During Bad Bunny’s most recent world tour, he skipped his tour dates in the U.S., fearing that his Latino fans would be a target to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Many have questioned Bad Bunny’s participation in the Super Bowl due to his initial refusal to tour in the U.S. The Trump administration declared that ICE agents would be at the game. This reflects the exact reason Bad Bunny was hesitant to perform in the States; however, this doesn’t seem to be a deterrent for him just yet.
“What I’m feeling goes beyond myself. It’s for those who came before me and ran countless yards so I could come in and score a touchdown,” said Bad Bunny in a statement, according to NBC News.
The reactions to the headlining of a Latino man in the Super Bowl halftime highlight the hatred that the Latino community faces countless times in today’s society. Calling for the deportation of a U.S. citizen solely due to his Latino origin is nothing short of racist and bigoted. Unfortunately, the Latino community has been targeted unfairly by ICE for years, due to the legalization of racial profiling by ICE agents without probable cause and stigma brought by Trump supporters across the globe.
Earlier in the year, far-right activist Laura Loomer called for the death of all 65 million Latinos living in the US, wildly commenting, “Alligator Lives Matter. The good news is, Alligators are guaranteed at least 65 million meals if we get started now.” This post was a reference to the deportation camp “Alligator Alcatraz.” Loomer called for the death of all 65 million Latinos in this country, according to Yahoo news.
This hatred lies beyond politics regarding immigration regulation, but is rather rooted in long-held systemic racism and hatred. The reactions to Bad Bunny headlining the Super Bowl highlighted the rampant anti-Latino rhetoric in the United States, regardless of citizenship. These instances highlight the hatred towards latino citizens. The public reactions towards Bad Bunny, an American citizen, and the entire Latino community, despite only a part being undocumented, highlights the social conflicts rampant across this country.
It is not a problem to dislike Bad Bunny’s music or to have potentially preferred a different artist for the halftime show. However, when it gets to the point of calling for the deportation of a Puerto Rican man and a U.S. citizen, the conflict lies beyond dislike for his music but hatred for his community. The call for the deportation of all 65 million Latinos simply lies beyond political beliefs regarding legal immigration, and is again hatred towards the entirety of the Latino community.
Despite the backlash, seeing a Latino man performing at one of the most iconic cultural moments in the US is a win. Bad Bunny has done a lot for his community, and the performance allows Bad Bunny to represent the Latino community in a positive light and be a symbol of American culture.
