Bad Bunny Says He Didn’t Tour Mainland US Because of Possible ICE Raids

Bad Bunny elaborates on why there isn’t a Mainland US leg in his 2025-26 tour, citing concern over possible ICE raids.

As his lucrative Puerto Rico residency draws to a close, Bad Bunny opened up to I-D in a recent interview about his decision to omit the United States mainland from his upcoming tour. The musician explained that he did so out of fear that “ICE could be outside” his concerts.

“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,” he explained. “All of [the shows] have been successful. All of them have been magnificent. I’ve enjoyed connecting with Latinos who have been living in the U.S.”

“But specifically, for a residency here in Puerto Rico, when we were an unincorporated territory of the U.S. […] People from the U.S. could come here to see the show,” he continued. “Latinos and Puerto Ricans of the United States could also travel here, or to any part of the world. But there was the issue of—like, fucking ICE could be outside. And it’s something that we were talking about and very concerned about.”

Speculation about his decision sparked earlier this summer, when the Puerto Rico native said performances in the United States were “unnecessary.” Fans in the U.S., he explained, have had no shortage of opportunities to see him perform within the last six years.

Bad Bunny has been very vocal about ICE in recent months, posting footage of ICE arrests on social media that showed agents detaining people in the street.

His Puerto Rico residency, which began on July 11 and continued every weekend through September 14, brought in an estimated $200 million in revenue for the territory’s local economy.

“I’ve done a lot of shows here in Puerto Rico, and I don’t think I’ve felt so much energy [before],” he said in Spanish. “The pride—the sense of homeland that unites generations.”