(Photo by Amy Sussman/Getty Images)
Billie Eilish is facing intense online backlash after her politically charged acceptance speech at the Grammys sparked calls for her to either give up her Los Angeles mansion or open it to migrants.
The 24-year-old artist won a Grammy on Sunday for her song Wildflower, but it was her remarks on stage that quickly overshadowed the win. While accepting the award alongside her brother and collaborator Finneas, Eilish addressed immigration enforcement and the history of colonization in the United States.
“As grateful as I feel, I honestly don’t feel like I need to say anything but that no one is illegal on stolen land,” she said, referencing European colonization of the Americas.
She continued by addressing immigration raids happening across the country. “It’s just really hard to know what to say and what to do right now, and I just feel really hopeful in this room, and I feel like we just need to keep fighting and speaking up and protesting, and our voices really do matter, and the people matter,” Eilish told the audience.
She ended her speech with a blunt remark that drew loud cheers inside the venue: “And f*** ICE, that’s all I’m gonna say. Sorry!” While many in attendance applauded her comments, critics online were quick to respond by pointing to the singer’s real estate holdings.
Political commentator Eric Daugherty noted that Eilish owns a reported $3 million mansion in Los Angeles and claimed it sits on land that was historically owned by the Tongva tribe.
“She could also graciously host illegal aliens in her mansion. After all, she has the moral high ground. Put up or shut the F up,” he wrote on X.
A spokesperson for the Tongva tribe later confirmed to the Daily Mail that Eilish’s home is indeed located on their ancestral land. “As the First People of the greater Los Angeles basin, we do understand that her home is situated in our ancestral land,” the spokesperson said, adding that Eilish has not contacted the tribe directly.
“Eilish has not contacted our tribe directly regarding her property, we do value the instance when Public Figures provide visibility to the true history of this country,” the statement continued.
The tribe also confirmed it has reached out to Eilish’s team to express appreciation for her comments and said it hopes future discussions will explicitly name the Gabrieleno Tongva people.
The tribe further noted that it partnered closely with the Recording Academy to create the official Land Acknowledgment shared during Grammy week. “The Recording Academy has been an incredible partner to our tribe,” the spokesperson said. “Ekwa Shem- We are here!”
Online criticism continued to build, with users accusing Eilish and other celebrities of hypocrisy. “It’s time for all these hypocritical Hollywood elites to do what they’re telling average American citizens to do,” one commenter wrote.
Eilish’s remarks came as several stars, including Joni Mitchell, Kehlani, and Justin and Hailey Bieber, wore “ICE OUT” pins in protest of the Trump administration’s immigration policies. Her speech closely echoed comments made earlier in the night by Kehlani, who also ended her remarks with, “I’mma leave this and say, f*** ICE!”
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