will.i.am has called out the ICE raids that have been taking place across California on his new single “East L.A.”
Accompanied by his longtime Black Eyed Peas cohort Taboo, the rapper and producer looks to celebrate Los Angeles culture.
On the track, Will raps: “I love Mexicanas from the Border / Make her my wife so ICE won’t deport her.”
Also in the video for the song, he says: “Black people, my ancestors, know exactly some version of what’s happening right now. We’ve been through what you guys are going through right now. And that’s why I stand in solidarity with Latinos.”
will.i.am also posted a statement which accompanied the song’s release which reads: “We are Los Angeles. We are Angelenos. We are Americans. Some of us born here, some of us migrated here. We are a great country and our borders should be protected. You would think that the idea of border control would make residents feel safe – but it’s pumped fear into our communities.”
Ice Cube also recently slammed the ICE raids being conducted under the orders of Donald Trump.
The rap legend stopped by local radio station 92.3’s The Cruz Show where he was asked about ICE’s crackdown on immigration across the city.
He said: “It hurts because it’s all kind of different situations been going around, as far as immigration.”
Cube added: “But to see people disrespected like that, and federal government just being too heavy-handed and disrespectful going to churches and weddings and grabbing people out those schools. It’s like come on man, y’all just overdoing it.”
The rapper and actor also said: “And then the country flip flops. First it’s cool, then it’s not … It’s like, how could somebody even keep up with what’s going on? It’s sad. I can’t wait til this period is over. I don’t know how we going to get to the end but … It’s crazy to see people dragged out of their spots of refuge.”
Earlier this year, Doechii used her speech at the BET Awards to call out Trump’s aggressive action against immigrant communities across America.
She said: “There are ruthless attacks that are creating fear and chaos in our communities in the name of law and order.”