During the 2026 Grammy Awards ceremony last month, multiple artists used their fashion and acceptance speeches as outcries. From Bad Bunny’s exceptional Album of the Year acceptance speech to “ICE Out” pins on the runway, artists showed their support for immigrant families in America.
On this year’s red carpet in Los Angeles, several celebrities served stunning outfits while protesting against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). In the recent months, President Trump’s administration has deployed many federal ICE agents around the United States, and artists of varying backgrounds on the red carpet have spoken out online and in the press. The Grammys, however, were the first large event that allowed many inspiring figures in entertainment the opportunity to protest peacefully with their outfits.
Celebrities have a great influence on the public eye, as they are adored by many and can reach a more widespread audience than the regular person protesting on a bridge or street corner. The Grammys, which award the best musicians, performers, songwriters and more across multiple genres and styles, the diverse representation on the red carpet allows more than most industries to use their platform to speak to audiences of all kinds, whether it be Latin music fans, hip hop fans or alternative rock fans. Even young kids who may be unaware of the ICE surge across the United States might have seen their favorite pop star’s outfit or speech serve as a love letter to affected communities.
Known for her big 2014 hit “Shower”, Becky G spread love on the red carpet by having, although simple, one of the most creative ways to protest against ICE. Wearing a black gown that hugged her feet, her dress was elegant but also risque as it covered just one of her shoulders, leaving the other exposed. G wore black heels to complement the dress, with the heel visible through the exposed part of her dress that followed the leg. Her white nails, which contrasted against the dark clothing, displayed the message of ridding of ICE — but with different phrasing that The Heights Herald cannot publish. G was not the only artist to use the element of uncomplicated but effective contrast to bring attention to current events. Justin and Hailey Bieber also attended the red carpet in black, with Justin sporting a baggy suit whose pants sagged and hid his shoes from the naked eye. Justin’s top is sort of baggy as well, as it hangs slightly below his torso and on the left side of his suit, he wore a pin that read, “ICE out.” The pair were also adorned with a silver chain and a silver necklace, respectively, adding some alternate “ice” to the proceedings. Hailey also donned an “ICE out” pin near the left side of her chest with a black dress to complement Justin on the red carpet. Her dress featured a sheer fabric that allowed her thigh to be seen through it, but only when she posed for the camera, which she did repeatedly on her way into the Crypto.com Arena. The dress, like Justin’s slacks, dragged on the floor, hiding her shoes, and just as their outfits showed their alliance, they seemed to also communicate an alliance with immigrants across the United States.
“I didn’t expect so many celebrities to step up and wear the pin or even speak out about ICE,” Iris Bergan (12) said. “Even though I didn’t watch the Grammys live, countless TikTok clips showed the speeches, and everyone did so well.”
Winner of the Best New Artist award, Olivia Dean, utilized her newfound fame by making her presence known on the red carpet in a spectacular dress. One of my personal favorite looks on the red carpet this year, Dean wore a black-and-white classic ballgown that gave her a one-of-a-kind silhouette, helping her stand out from the crowd — as if she needed the help. The black corset piece connected to the bell of the dress affixed with a feathery plume and a seam leading to a beautiful, white and slightly puffed-up skirt that was long in the back to create an extensive but still classy train. The dress almost seemed to juxtapose the top half with the bottom, with a classic 1920s flapper above and a classic ballgown below. As she flipped the dress for the cameras, it mimicked an upside-down flower, with white petals and her torso a black stem. When winning her award, she stood tall and said, “I’m up here as a granddaughter of an immigrant. I’m a product of bravery, and I think those people deserve to be celebrated,” speaking out about ICE and how they continue taking legal immigrants and are racially profiling.
Perhaps most famous for his role as the Hulk in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, actor Mark Ruffalo made his way to the red carpet in a no-nonsense white dress shirt with a black bow tie — a classical high-contrast tuxedo. He featured snappy black pants and shoes, which drew attention to his masculine physique. Ruffalo wore a pin on his suit jacket that read “Be Good” formatted in a similar fashion to the Biebers’ pins. Ruffalo even criticized the Trump administration in various interviews, mentioning Renée Good, whom his pin referred to, a Minnesotan murdered by ICE. Ruffalo also said that while he was happy to be at the ceremony as a former nominee (for Spoken Word Album in 2018), he believed his message was more important.
“These protests on the red carpet and during the Grammy awards were very much needed,” Hayden Shackle (12) said. “I haven’t listened to Billie Eilish nor Bad Bunny, but their speeches were extremely powerful [considering] what’s going on in Minnesota.”
Eilish, who won Song of the Year for her hit “WILDFLOWER”, made her way onto the red carpet showing off her groundbreaking style. Eilish was also wearing mostly black and white. The accentuated leather belt seems to be a common motif throughout her outfit. She wore a black, baggy, long zip-up top with the sleeves cinched at the wrist with leather buckles. A dark navy blue tie seemed to wrap around Eilish’s shoulders like a casual tennis wrap. Multiple belts wrapped around her skirt too matched her oversized handbag. She also rocked a pair of long white socks that didn’t quite reach up to her knee, accompanied by a black pointy heel. Eilish also adorned her top with an “ICE out” pin on her clothing as well, plus stated in her acceptance speech, “No one is illegal on stolen land.”
Finally, the one and only winner of the title Album of the Year, Bad Bunny, was outfitted in a sharp black tuxedo. With a white dress shirt and black bow tie, this traditional top accentuated his more fashion-forward pants, which were overly long but the same shade of black as the jacket, which made it look like one piece. A white flower towards the left area of his chest was the true focal point for the fit, though, which juxtaposed his broader chest and shoulders. It was also confirmed that his build was exaggerated because he wore a bulletproof vest to ensure his safety during the red carpet interviews and subsequent ceremony. While on stage giving a speech for his win, he stated, “We’re not savage, we’re not animals, we’re not aliens. We are humans, and we are Americans.” His words acted as arguably the most effective but still peaceful protest against what’s going on in our country right now.
On the red carpet this year, many of the winners used their win and their time to be on stage to peacefully protest ICE. Given the stars and artists’ opinions and acknowledgements about what’s going on with the world right now, it became loud and clear on this night, perhaps more than ever before, that what the Trump administration is doing is unacceptable, and people will not stop fighting until it’s gone.
