Singer Billie Eilish’s appearance at the 68th Annual Grammy Awards was supposed to be a victory lap, but her acceptance speech quickly turned into a case study in celebrity hypocrisy. While accepting Song of the Year, the 24-year-old pop star used one of the biggest stages in entertainment to denounce immigration enforcement, declaring “no one is illegal on stolen land” and punctuating the sentiment with a profane dismissal of Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The applause inside the arena was immediate. Outside of it, the reaction was swift and unforgiving.
Any white person who does a public “stolen land” acknowledgement should immediately give his or her land to native Americans
Otherwise they don’t mean it
Also, I’m pretty sure they don’t mean it https://t.co/aZ0iuLhM2K
— Mike Lee (@BasedMikeLee) February 2, 2026
Eilish delivered the remarks while wearing an “ICE OUT” pin, framing her comments as moral courage and resistance. She spoke about fighting, protesting, and using one’s voice, presenting herself as a truth-teller standing up to injustice. What she did not address was the obvious tension between her rhetoric and her own lifestyle—an omission critics were more than happy to point out the following day.
No one ever expounds on this ridicuous talking point.
“No one is illegal on stolen land.”
Okay.
So… the states and the union they created, along with every deed to property on the continent, is illegitimate.
Why aren’t you acting accordingly?
Donate everything and leave. https://t.co/RGuK5WCEAE
— Walter Hudson (@WalterHudson) February 2, 2026
Lawmakers, commentators, and social media users across the political spectrum zeroed in on the same contradiction. If the United States is fundamentally illegitimate because it sits on “stolen land,” then what does that say about private property, deeds, and personal wealth derived from that system? More specifically, what does it say about a multimillionaire celebrity living behind gates and walls on a sprawling Hollywood property? Several critics suggested that if Eilish truly believes her slogan, the logical next step would be to relinquish her land to Native American tribes or migrant families. None seemed to think she would.
Wow! I really care about what people who live in multi-million dollar mansions, with gates and walls, and security guards to keep out intruders— living a life completely detached from normal Americans— think about illegal aliens being deported. https://t.co/HxI4D1CJX1
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) February 2, 2026
The critique was not subtle, but it was pointed. The “stolen land” mantra is often deployed as a rhetorical grenade, not as a serious framework for action. Taken literally, it invalidates the legal foundation of every state, every property title, and every institution in the country. Yet those who repeat it rarely behave as though they believe that to be true. They keep their homes, their awards, their wealth, and their security, while insisting that borders, laws, and enforcement should not apply to others.
Oh, gee, this “stolen land” nonsense again?
Maybe she should step up and forfeit her southern California mansion since it is supposedly on “stolen land.” https://t.co/0CVJc5MC65
— Ron DeSantis (@RonDeSantis) February 2, 2026
That disconnect is what fuels the backlash. Eilish’s denunciation of ICE was not accompanied by any acknowledgment of what the agency actually does, nor of the crimes committed by some of the individuals it arrests. As the Department of Homeland Security pointed out in response, while celebrities were grandstanding from the Grammys stage, ICE agents were arresting sex offenders, child abusers, and violent criminals. That reality does not fit neatly into a slogan, but it exists nonetheless.
Eilish has made similar claims before, accusing ICE of “kidnapping” and murdering people. Those accusations are serious, sweeping, and unsupported, yet they are delivered with confidence because celebrity activism rarely demands precision or accountability. Applause is enough.
