Cardi B has never been one to shy away from speaking her mind, and her recent concert in Palm Desert, California, was no exception. During her “Little Miss Drama Tour” stop on Wednesday, February 11, the Grammy-winning artist used her platform to voice strong opposition to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
While performing a snippet of “La Cucaracha,” Cardi B paused to engage with the crowd, asking how many Mexicans and Guatemalans were in attendance. She then delivered a powerful message, declaring, “B—-, if ICE come in here, we gon’ jump they a—-.”
“They Ain’t Taking My Fans”
The rapper, 33, didn’t stop there. With the crowd roaring in support, she added, “B—-, I got some bear mace in the back. They ain’t taking my fans, b—-.” This bold stance echoes sentiments expressed by other artists who have taken a stand against US immigration policies.
Cardi B’s remarks drew parallels to Puerto Rican superstar Bad Bunny’s decision to boycott touring in the US. Bad Bunny cited the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown as his reason, expressing concern that ICE raids might target his predominantly Latino fanbase. Notably, Cardi B had appeared alongside Bad Bunny on stage at the divisive Super Bowl halftime show just days prior, on February 8.
Homeland Security’s Sharp Retort
The Department of Homeland Security was quick to respond to Cardi B’s anti-ICE statement. The agency took to its official X account the following day with a pointed remark: “As long as she doesn’t drug and rob our agents, we’ll consider that an improvement over her past behavior.”
This tweet was a direct reference to a resurfaced video from 2019, where Cardi B admitted to drugging and robbing men who sought her services while she worked as a stripper. The statement was widely interpreted as a jab from an underling of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.
Cardi B, a mother of four, had made these controversial comments during an Instagram Live session in 2016. At the time, she addressed the backlash on social media, explaining her actions as “things that I felt I needed to do to make a living.” She continued, “I never claim to be perfect or come from a perfect world wit a perfect past, I speak my truth, I always speak my own s—.” Cardi B further elaborated that the hip-hop culture she originates from embraces open discussion about one’s background, including “the wrong things you had to do to get where you are.”
Cardi B Fires Back with Epstein Files Jab
Cardi B wasted no time in hitting back. Less than two hours after Homeland Security’s social media jab, the rapper retorted, “If we talking about drugs let’s talk about [Jeffrey] Epstein and friends drugging underage girls to rape them. Why yall don’t wanna talk about the Epstein files?”
This sharp reply from the “Up” artist came amidst growing public scrutiny over the government’s handling of files related to the late sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, who died in prison in August 2019. The timing of Cardi B’s counter-argument coincided with a contentious hearing before the House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday, February 11. During this hearing, Attorney General Pam Bondi faced questions regarding Epstein’s imprisoned associate, Ghislaine Maxwell, and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick’s connections to the notorious pedophile.
