(TNND) — Puerto Rican singer and rapper [Bad Bunny](https://thenationaldesk.com/news/americas-news-now/ice-agents-at-the-super-bowl-politics-and-the-nfl-collide-over-bad-bunnys-halftime-show-republicans-department-homeland-security#) responded to the backlash surrounding the NFL’s decision for him to perform at the 2026 Super Bowl Halftime show during a segment on Saturday Night Live.
The 31-year-old whose real name is Benito Antonio Martinez Ocasio, said he was “excited” to be named the headlining act for the February game at Levi Stadium in Santa Clara, California. The rapper continued jokingly telling critics that they have “four months to learn” Spanish.
“I’m really excited to be doing the Super Bowl, I know that people all around the world who love my music are also happy,” Bad Bunny said during his opening monologue.
“Especially all of the Latinos and Latinas in the world here in the United States who have worked to open doors,” he said in Spanish. “It’s more than a win for myself, it’s a win for all of us. Our footprints and our contribution in this country, no one will ever be able to take that away or erase it.”
Bad Bunny continued teasing non-Spanish speakers, saying they need to study the language to enjoy his upcoming performance.
“If you didn’t understand what I just said. You have four months to learn,” he said jokingly.
During the monologue, SNL cut to an edited video montage of news personalities saying, “Bad Bunny is my favorite musician and he should be the next president.”
The segment comes as many people have called out the NFL’s decision to choose the 3-time Grammy winner after he refused to bring his tour to the US due to concerns that ICE agents would be outside his concerts.
“But there was the issue of — like, f\*\*\*ing ICE could be outside (my concert) ... And it’s something that we were talking about and very concerned about,” he told i-D last month.
The Trump administration responded to the announcement saying that ICE agents would be at the Feb. 8 game.
“There is nowhere you can provide safe haven to people who are in this country illegally,” Trump advisor Corey Lewandowski said on [“The Benny Show.”](https://youtu.be/EY4Zdsm3Zp8?si=iesTF6WCTnNqu1Ou) “Not the Super Bowl and nowhere else. We will find you and apprehend you and put you in a detention facility, and deport you. Know that is a very real situation under this administration, which is contrary to how it used to be.”
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem also responded to the NFL’s decision saying the organization officials would not be able to sleep because of their decision.
“They suck, and we’ll win, and God will bless us, and we’ll stand and be proud of ourselves at the end of the day,” Noem told political commentator Benny Johnson. “They won’t be able to sleep at night because they don’t know what they believe, and they’re so weak, we’ll fix it.”
“The Department of Homeland Security is responsible for keeping it safe,” she said. “So I have the responsibility for making sure everybody goes to the Super Bowl, has the opportunity to enjoy it and to leave, and that’s what America is about.”
Bad Bunny recently completed a 31-show residency in Puerto Rico.