ANALYSIS
Billie Eilish sparks outrage with 'stolen land' comments and criticism of ICE during Grammy speech
The next day, several critics, including governors and lawmakers, lashed out at the singer suggesting she donate her million-dollar property in Los Angeles to Native Americans to return "stolen land."
Billie Eilish at the Grammy Awards.
Billie Eilish generated controversy after her statements about "stolen land" in the United States during the Grammys, while critics accused her of inconsistency for owning a mansion valued at several million dollars.
The singer won Song of the Year at the 2026 Grammys and, like many other progressive artists, used her moment on stage to argue against immigration enforcement in the country.
"No one is illegal on stolen land," the singer said as she accepted the award for the song "Wildflower," from her album "Hit Me Hard and Soft," at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.
"And f--- ICE, that's all I'm gonna say, sorry," she added before the CBS broadcast cut off her audio.
Forbes magazine calculated in 2020 that Eilish boasted a fortune of $53 million. At 17, the now 24-year-old singer acquired an equestrian ranch valued at $2.3 million in Glendale, a property previously owned by British entertainer Leona Lewis, according to Hello!.
"She should step up and forfeit her southern California mansion"
The next day, several critics, including governors and lawmakers, lashed out at Eilish suggesting she donate her million-dollar Los Angeles estate to Native Americans to return the "stolen land."
Florida's governor, Republican Ron DeSantis, commented on X: "Oh, gee, this 'stolen land' nonsense again? Maybe she should step up and forfeit her southern California mansion since it is supposedly on 'stolen land.'"
"Exactly," responded Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX and Tesla, to DeSantis' comment.
On X, Utah Republican Sen. Mike Lee wrote, "Any White person who does a public 'stolen land' acknowledgment should immediately give his or her land to Native Americans. Otherwise, they don’t mean it. Also, I’m pretty sure they don’t mean it."
"Wow! I really care about what people who live in multi-million dollar mansions, with gates and walls, and security guards to keep out intruders — living a life completely detached from normal Americans — think about illegal aliens being deported," said conservative commentator Greg Price.
Trump administration weighs in
In a statement to Fox News Digital, the deputy secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Tricia McLaughlin, dismissed anti-ICE from Eilish and other celebrities during the Grammy Awards.
"While Hollywood celebrities embarrassed themselves trying to drum up hatred of ICE officers from the Grammys, DHS law enforcement was hard at work arresting sex offenders, child abusers, and criminals convicted of assault in Minnesota," McLaughlin said.
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