Music’s biggest night has kicked off on a powerful note as celebrities speak out against Immigration and Customs Enforcement efforts at the 2026 Grammy Awards.
Artists including Kehlani, Joni Mitchell and Margo Price were seen wearing pins saying “ICE out” at Sunday night’s ceremony in Los Angeles to stand in solidarity with the anti-ICE protests happening across America, and particularly in Minneapolis following the killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti.
Stars first sported the tiny accessories at last month’s Golden Globes awards, as well as pins that said “Be Good” to pay tribute to Good, a 37-year-old mom who was shot and killed January 7 by an ICE agent in Minneapolis.
In addition to wearing a pin on the red carpet, 30-year-old singer Kehlani slammed Donald Trump’s immigration efforts in a statement on the red carpet.
“I wanted to say f*** ICE,” Kehlani told the Hollywood Reporter. “But I think they needed some couth on the carpet or something. I’m a little couthless ruthless. I think everybody — we’re too powerful of a group to all be in a room at the same time and not make some kind of statement in our country, so it’s brainless to me.”
Before the televised ceremony began, the “Honey” singer also was awarded Best R&B performance and Best R&B Song for her song “Folded.” She condemned ICE during her second acceptance speech of the night.
“Together, we’re stronger in numbers, [and must] to speak against all the injustice going on in the world right now,” Kehlani said. “I hope everybody’s inspired to join together as a community of artists and speak out against what’s going on.” She concluded the speech by saying again: “F*** ICE.”
Also ahead of the televised ceremony, Mitchell wore the protest pin as she accepted the award for Best Historical Album for her record Joni Mitchell Archives – Volume 4: The Asylum Years — 1976-1980.
Other celebrities who wore “ICE out” pins on the red carpet were Brandi Carlile, Jason Isbell and Rhiannon Giddens.
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Justin Vernon, whose band Bon Iver is nominated for best alternative music album, told the Associated Press that he wore a whistle to honor the people who documented ICE officers’ actions.
“I think there’s a reason that music exists and it’s to heal and to bring people together,” Vernon told the outlet. “But the real work are those observers on the on the ground in Minneapolis. We just want to want to shout them out.”
