The stage is set for Bad Bunny to headline the Super Bowl halftime show when the New England Patriots face the Seattle Seahawks on February 8. But just days before the performance, the focus has shifted from football and spectacle to messaging. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell addressed the Puerto Rican superstar after Bad Bunny used the Grammys stage to criticize the Donald Trump administration’s federal immigration enforcement surge, while also making it clear that the league expects the halftime show to be a moment of unity.

“Bad Bunny is one of the great artists in the world. That’s one of the reasons we chose him,” Goodell told reporters. “The other reason is he understood the platform and that this platform is to bring people together with their creativity, with their talents, to be able to use this moment to do that. I think Bad Bunny understands that, and I think he’ll have a great performance.”

Goodell’s comments came against the backdrop of growing tension between Bad Bunny and Trump amid the ongoing ICE controversy. The singer, who topped Spotify’s streaming charts in four of the past six years, has already taken a public stance on the issue. Though there was no explicit warning, the emphasis on unity amidst the rising tension read like a muted warning for the artist.

Earlier last year, the singer said he deliberately avoided performing in the United States on his current world tour, citing concerns that ICE agents could conduct raids on fans attending his shows.

That tension only intensified once the NFL announced Bad Bunny as the halftime performer. Trump quickly dismissed the decision as “absolutely ridiculous” in October 2025. He later doubled down in January by confirming he would not attend the Patriots–Seahawks game. His reasoning was straightforward. The president said he was not a fan of either Bad Bunny or American rock band Green Day, who are set to open the show.

Fast forward to the Grammy Awards, and the situation escalated further. Bad Bunny made history on the awards night by becoming the first Latin artist to win Album of the Year. But the milestone moment also turned into a statement. During his acceptance speech, the 31-year-old openly criticized the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown.

“Before I say thanks to God, I’m going to say, ICE out. We’re not savage. We’re not animals. We’re not aliens. We are humans, and we are Americans. I know it’s tough to not hate these days. I was thinking, sometimes we get contaminados [contaminated]. … The hate gets more powerful with more hate.”

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On the podium, the artist did not mince his words as a loud applause followed.  He ended his speech just as emphatically.

“So please, we need to be different if we fight, we have to do it with love,” the artist added. “If, yeah, we don’t hate them. We love our people. We love our family, and that’s the way to do it. With love. Don’t forget that, please.”

Naturally, that speech sparked immediate questions about whether Bad Bunny would bring similar messaging to the Super Bowl stage. Goodell, however, has made it clear that he does not expect that to happen. The commissioner emphasized that he believes the singer understands the difference between platforms and the responsibility that comes with performing during the most-watched broadcast of the year.

Meanwhile, the NFL has also stated that ICE will not be present at the Super Bowl, seemingly aiming to lower the temperature around an already charged conversation.

The NFL claims that ICE won’t be at the Super Bowl

Amid the ongoing ICE controversy, the NFL has maintained that ICE will not be present at the Super Bowl. The statement came from the league’s Chief Security Officer, Cathy Lanier. Lanier addressed the issue during a security briefing with reporters ahead of the game. Lanier said ICE has no plans to carry out immigration enforcement related to the event.

“There are no planned ICE or immigration enforcement operations that are scheduled around the Super Bowl or any of the Super Bowl-related events,” he said. “The federal presence here is consistent with past Super Bowls, and other sporting events like what you will see around the World Cup and the Olympics as well.”

However, Lanier’s assurance appears to clash with earlier public statements made by officials from the Department of Homeland Security. In October, DHS advisor Corey Lewandowski said on a podcast that the Super Bowl would not serve as a haven for individuals targeted by ICE.

“There is nowhere that you can provide safe haven to people who are in this country illegally,” Lewandowski said. “Not the Super Bowl and nowhere else. We will find you. We will apprehend you. We will put you in a detention facility, and we will deport you.”

That stance stands in contrast to reporting from the Associated Press. The AP noted that DHS official Jeff Brannigan privately told local law enforcement and the NFL that ICE does not plan to conduct enforcement operations in or around the Super Bowl.

Despite that, DHS has yet to publicly confirm such a position. And with the Super Bowl now less than a week away, the lack of a unified message from federal officials has only added to the uncertainty. As tensions continue to simmer, clarity, or the absence of it, has become just as much a storyline as the game itself.