Billie Eilish criticizes ICE in her award speech:
Grammy winner Billie Eilish is once again using her voice in more ways than one.
The question “What was I made for?” The singer apparently found an answer by accepting the 2026 MLK Jr. Dear Community Award for Environmental Justice on Saturday, criticizing President Donald Trump for his hardline immigration and mass deportation agenda.
“To be honest, I don’t really feel deserving,” Eilish said at the King Center in Atlanta. “And it’s very strange to be celebrated for working for environmental justice at a time when it seems less attainable than ever, given the state of our country and the world right now.”
The 24-year-old was publicly criticized earlier this month by the Department of Homeland Security for her “trash rhetoric” regarding the shooting death of Renee Good in Minnesota by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, but she didn’t let that stop her from speaking out Saturday.
“We are seeing our neighbors being kidnapped, peaceful protesters being attacked and killed, our civil rights being stripped away, resources to fight the climate crisis being cut, fossil fuels and livestock farming destroying our planet and people’s health, access to food and healthcare becoming a privilege for the rich instead of a basic human right for all Americans,” he said.
Eilish, reading from a small piece of paper, continued: “It’s very clear that protecting our planet and our communities is not a priority for this administration. And it’s really hard to celebrate when we no longer feel safe in our homes or on our streets.”
The two-time Oscar winner has long used her celebrity status to advocate for climate change awareness, using her songs and music videos to promote the effort and donating proceeds from her concert tickets to a Climate Impact Fund run by the nonprofit Reverb.
Eilish has also begun using acceptance speeches to remind the wealthy of their privilege.
The singer argued from the podium at WSJ magazine’s Innovator Awards in October that the rich should help “people in need,” ordering billionaires to “give away their money” and revealing that she would donate $11.5 million to groups working for climate justice.
Paras Griffin via Getty Images
Eilish condemned ICE earlier this month by sharing a series of Instagram Stories, one of which called the agency a “federally funded and supported terrorist group” that is “destroying families, terrorizing citizens” and “murdering innocent people” under the Trump administration.
In a statement to Billboard at the time, DHS Deputy Secretary Tricia McLaughlin pointed to footage of Good’s murder, stating that the video “corroborates” that the ICE officer who pulled the trigger was acting in self-defense.
Eilish found grace on Saturday despite the overwhelming realities of life in 2026.
“I’m so inspired by all the stories and the other honorees tonight and by everyone in this room, and I’m grateful to everyone for the huge community of people who are taking action centered on Dr. King’s message,” the singer acknowledged before reflecting further.
She said: “I just want to thank my mom, my parents, for raising me the way they did. I wouldn’t be doing any of this if it wasn’t for you, mom… I have this platform and I think it’s my responsibility to use it. So I feel like I’m doing what anyone in my position should be doing.”