Bad Bunny Skipped the U.S. on Tour Over ICE Concerns

Fans of Bad Bunny were confused about why the musician left the continental United States off his upcoming Debí Tirar Más Fotos world tour. In an interview with i-D published Wednesday, the singer said the decision was tied to the Trump administration’s recent mass deportations targeting Latinos.

When asked by interviewer Suzy Exposito if his decision was “out of concern” for Latino fans, Bad Bunny responded: “Man, honestly, yes.”

“There were many reasons why I didn’t show up in the U.S., and none of them were out of hate — I’ve performed there many times,” Bad Bunny explained. “All of [the shows] have been successful. All of them have been magnificent.”

Part of the appeal of doing a residency in his native Puerto Rico has been welcoming fans from over the world to his island, including many from the United States who had never visited La Isla del Encanto. The singer is set to conclude his No Me Quiero Ir de Aquí residency on Sept. 14 after 30 shows since mid-July.

“I’ve enjoyed connecting with Latinos who have been living in the US, but specifically, for a residency here in Puerto Rico, when we are an incorporated territory of the U.S… People from the U.S. could come here to see the show,” Bad Bunny said. “Latinos and Puerto Ricans of the United States could also travel here, or to any part of the world.”

He added: “But there was the issue of — like, fucking ICE could be outside [my concert]. And it’s something that we were talking about and very concerned about.”

Bad Bunny has been vocal about his distaste for ICE and the Trump administration. Back in June, he seemed to witness an ICE raid in Puerto Rico, and posted a video on his Instagram of the moment: “They came here… Sons of bitches, instead of letting the people alone and working.”

Bad Bunny is set to kick off his Debí Tirar Más Fotos tour on Nov. 21 in Santo Domingo before traveling across Latin America through late February. Next spring, the singer will head to several cities in Europe, Sydney, Australia, and Tokyo. In December, he’ll perform eight shows at Mexico City’s Estadio GNP Seguros, and in June, he’ll play 10 shows in Madrid.