Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) will have a noticeable presence at the 2026 Super Bowl following the NFL’s announcement that Puerto Rican reggaeton artist Bad Bunny will headline the halftime show — a decision that’s raising eyebrows across conservative circles.

Corey Lewandowski, senior adviser at the Department of Homeland Security and former Trump campaign manager, made the announcement during an appearance on The Benny Show, making clear that the days of sanctuary policies are over under the current administration.

“There is nowhere that you can provide safe haven to people in this country illegally. Not the Super Bowl and nowhere else,” Lewandowski stated.

“We will find you. We will apprehend you. We will put you in a detention facility, and we will deport you,” he continued. “So know that that is a very real situation under this administration, which is completely contrary to how it used to be.”

The NFL confirmed Sunday that Bad Bunny — a three-time Grammy winner and outspoken leftist figure — will headline the 2026 Super Bowl halftime show in Santa Clara, California, a state already overrun with sanctuary policies and soft-on-crime leadership.

In a carefully scripted statement, Bad Bunny said:

“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 … this is for my people, my culture and our history.”

But for many, the NFL’s decision seems more about virtue signaling than actual entertainment value. Lewandowski didn’t mince words when he blasted the league for elevating a figure who has openly expressed disdain for the U.S.

“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.

And the artist’s own comments raise questions about his alignment with American values. Just last month, Bad Bunny revealed to i-D Magazine that he intentionally excluded U.S. cities from his upcoming tour, citing fears of ICE enforcement at his shows:

“But there was the issue of — like, f‑‑‑ing ICE could be outside [my concerts]. And it’s something that we were talking about and very concerned about,” the singer admitted.

While critics on the Left cry foul over potential ICE operations at entertainment venues, Lewandowski made clear that immigration enforcement doesn’t pause for pop concerts — no matter how many Grammys the headliner has.

“I don’t care if it’s a concert for Johnny Smith or Bad Bunny or anybody else. We’re going to do enforcement everywhere,” Lewandowski affirmed. “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.”

Lewandowski also offered a contrast to this year’s divisive entertainment pick, recalling his own Super Bowl experience:

“I was at the Super Bowl last year with President Trump. I had the chance to be in Louisiana in his box and watch the game, and got to enjoy that,” he told Benny Johnson. “But listen, we should be trying to be inclusive and not exclusive. There are plenty of great bands and entertainment people out there who could be playing at that show that would be bringing people together and not separating them.”