Chappell Roan denounces ICE at LA show, DHS rebukes

Chappell Roan paused during a sold-out performance at Brookside at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena on Friday night to praise Los Angeles and to deliver a pointed denunciation of U.S. immigration enforcement that drew both cheers from the crowd and a public rebuke from the Department of Homeland Security. The 27-year-old pop singer and Grammy winner performed theatrical, fairy-tale–themed sets across two nights, drawing large audiences to what she described as the biggest headline shows of her career.

Roan, who moved to Los Angeles nine years ago, took a quiet moment near the end of her set to reflect on the city and its response to recent wildfires. "L.A.'s my favorite city in the world," she told the crowd, thanking the community for its support and saying she felt it was her duty to give back. She then added, "I don't know, fuck ICE, forever," a statement she repeated as audience members chanted along. The remark prompted an official response from the Department of Homeland Security. The department's assistant secretary for public affairs, Tricia McLaughlin, criticized Roan's comment and defended the agency's work in removing individuals they described as threats to public safety.