Chappell Roan has found herself at the center of a storm, facing criticism from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security after making some bold remarks during a recent concert in Los Angeles.
On Friday (Oct. 10), during the first of two electrifying performances at Brookside at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, the 27-year-old pop sensation took a momentary pause from her set brimming with hit songs. She used this interlude to express her profound affection for her adopted city. "To be honest, L.A. is my favorite city in the world," Roan declared to the enthusiastic crowd, as reported by Variety. "I've been living here for nine years. I hail from Missouri originally, and I faced some really, really tough times in the first five years."
She then shifted the conversation to the recent wildfires that had ravaged the Los Angeles area and the remarkable community response they had sparked. "I'm not going to sugarcoat this," she continued with raw honesty. "My love for L.A. grew even stronger when I witnessed how the community rallied together in Altadena to lend a helping hand. The same went for the Palisades. It made me realize just how fortunate I am to call this place home and to perform here. This city has nurtured me, and it's my responsibility to give back in kind."
Roan then capped off her heartfelt speech with a pointed and politically charged statement. "Fuck ICE forever!" she exclaimed, her voice ringing out through the venue. She repeated the phrase with conviction, and soon, sections of the crowd joined in, their voices merging into a powerful chant.
The Department of Homeland Security wasted no time in responding to Roan's provocative comments. "'Pink Pony Club' is indeed a catchy tune," quipped Tricia McLaughlin, the assistant secretary for public affairs at DHS, in a statement to TMZ. "But pedophiles? They're the real villains. That's who we're committed to removing from our streets. Get a grip on reality."
Roan's comments come at a particularly fraught moment for immigrant communities across the United States, who have increasingly found themselves under the scrutiny of aggressive ICE operations. Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker recently described these operations as "military-style" raids, underscoring the heightened tension. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump has made mass deportations a cornerstone of his second-term agenda, further amplifying the stakes.
