Chappell Roan is facing criticism from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security following comments she made at a recent concert in Los Angeles.
During the first of two performances at Brookside at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif., on Friday (October 10), the 27-year-old pop star paused her hit-filled set to reflect on her appreciation for her adopted hometown.
“LA is my favorite city in the world, to be honest,” Roan told the crowd, according to Variety. “I’ve lived here for nine years. I’m originally from Missouri and I had a really, really tough time the first five years.”
She then spoke about the recent wildfires in the Los Angeles area and the community response.
“I’m not going to be eloquent about it,” she continued. “I loved Los Angeles more than ever when I saw how the community came together in Altadena to help me, the same with the Palisades. I just realized that I’m so lucky to be able to live here and play here, and the city took care of me, and it’s my duty to take care of it in return.”
She then concluded her speech with a pointed political statement. “F—k ICE forever,” the singer said. Roan repeated the phrase, prompting members of the crowd to sing along.
The Department of Homeland Security responded quickly. “The ‘Pink Pony Club’ is a good thing. Pedophiles are bad. They’re the ones we’re taking off our streets. Take control,” DHS Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Tricia McLaughlin told TMZ.
Roan’s comments come at a particularly tense time for immigrant communities in the United States, who increasingly find themselves the target of aggressive ICE operations. Illinois Governor JB Pritzker recently described them as “military-style” raids. President Donald Trump has made mass deportations a central plank of his second term.
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