At the 68th Annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles on February 1, 2026, singer Billie Eilish used her acceptance speech to make a political statement that went viral online. Eilish won the Song of the Year award for “Wildflower,” which she co‑wrote and performed with her brother Finneas O’Connell.
During her speech on stage, Eilish said, “No one is illegal on stolen land” and called for continued protest and activism. She and Finneas both wore pins reading “ICE Out,” opposing US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) policies. Eilish went on to say that voices matter and urged people to continue speaking up in support of immigrant rights. Parts of her remarks were directed at ICE, which were censored on live broadcast.
Eilish’s comments quickly became a major topic on social media within hours of the broadcast ending. Several users on platforms like X criticized her for speaking about “stolen land” while owning expensive homes in Los Angeles. Many pointed out that she owns a $2.3 million ranch‑style home in Glendale, California, which she purchased in 2019 and that is now worth even more, in addition to her family’s Highland Park property in Los Angeles that’s valued at around $800,000. Some posts specifically referenced her multimillion‑dollar properties and suggested she should “give up” or “sell” them if she truly believed in the historical meaning of her statement, with some comments also referring to discussions about land that once belonged to Native American tribes in the Los Angeles area
Billie Eilish said “F-ck Ice” last night but lives in a $14M mansion behind a wall.Celebrities are so out of touch. 🥴 pic.twitter.com/nnq8GAWlcG
— DefiantOutlaw (@DefiantOutlawX) February 2, 2026
Billie Eilish calls America "stolen land"Ok, Billie. Your $14,000,000 mansion in LA is built where the Tongva tribes once lived. Any plans on returning it?
— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) February 2, 2026
Billie’s comments follow a long confrontation with the Trump administration after federal agents shot and killed two U.S. citizens last month. Nurse Alex Pretti and mother Renée Good were fatally shot during a federal crackdown in Minnesota. Eilish had publicly referenced the Pretti and Good shootings in social media posts before the Grammys.
US President Donald Trump and other MAGA leaders slammed the Grammys for their opposition to government policies, especially regarding ICE. Nicki Minaj, who has been leaning toward the Republican side lately, was also mocked by host Trevor Noah at the award show.
