Whoopi Goldberg has sparked debate on 'The View' after proposing that attendees at the Super Bowl could adopt a 'Latin accent' and get a tan to test whether Kristi Noem, the US homeland security secretary, would target them with immigration enforcement. The comments came in response to Noem's declaration that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers would be 'all over' the NFL championship game, which will feature Puerto Rican star Bad Bunny as the halftime headline act.
During Monday's episode of the daytime talk show, Goldberg suggested a tongue-in-cheek experiment. 'Everybody, get a little cocoa butter, sit in the sun, that's the first thing,' she said. 'And this is the only time you can probably ever do this: Give yourself a Latin accent, and just see if she can tell who's who.' Her remarks were aimed at Noem's stated intention to ensure that only 'law-abiding Americans who love this country' should attend the game.
Noem, who has been a prominent figure in the Trump administration's immigration crackdown, said on a right-wing podcast that she had 'the responsibility for making sure everybody goes to the Super Bowl, has the opportunity to enjoy it and to leave.' The administration has mobilised ICE for raids on workplaces, residential buildings and communities, resulting in the forcible deportation of tens of thousands of undocumented people.
The controversy surrounding Bad Bunny's performance stems from his Spanish-language music catalogue and his previous comments about avoiding a US tour over concerns that his fans might encounter ICE agents. Conservative figures have stoked outrage, but Bad Bunny addressed the backlash directly while hosting 'Saturday Night Live' on Saturday. He said he was 'very happy' about the upcoming show, adding, 'And I think everyone is happy about it. Even Fox News.'
A montage aired on SNL showed conservative anchors, including Laura Ingraham and Sean Hannity, with their on-air comments edited to suggest they were praising Bad Bunny. The singer then spoke in Spanish, acknowledging the contributions of Latinos in the US and saying 'no one will ever be able to take that away or erase it.' He followed with an English quip: 'If you didn't understand what I just said, you have four months to learn.'
