Homeland Security Tells Chappell Roan to “Get a Grip” Over “F—k ICE” Remark at Rose Bowl Concert

Pop artist Chappell Roan has come under public scrutiny from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security after comments she made during a Los Angeles–area concert this month.

At the first of two shows at Brookside at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena on Friday, Oct. 11, the 27-year-old paused her set to reflect on her connection to the city she’s called home for nearly a decade.

“L.A.’s my favorite city in the world, to be honest,” Roan told the audience, according to Variety. She noted that after relocating from Missouri she spent several difficult years before settling in Los Angeles.

Roan praised how local communities responded to recent wildfires, saying the neighborhood solidarity in places like Altadena and the Palisades deepened her appreciation for the city that supports her career.

“I’m not gonna be eloquent about this,” she added, describing how moved she was by the way residents rallied to help one another. She concluded her brief speech with an explicit political statement — “F—k ICE forever,” according to a post shared on social media — and the crowd echoed the sentiment.

The Department of Homeland Security swiftly pushed back. Tricia McLaughlin, DHS assistant secretary for public affairs, responded bluntly, telling TMZ, “’Pink Pony Club’ is good. Pedophiles are bad. That’s who we’re getting off of our streets. Get a grip.”

Roan’s remarks arrive amid heightened tension around immigration enforcement in the United States. Critics say recent Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations have grown increasingly aggressive — Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker has described some raids as “military-style” — while the Biden-era successor’s critics argue that mass deportations remain a significant policy focus for political opponents in Washington.

Sources: Variety; TMZ; social media reporting.

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