Lady Gaga used her show at the Tokyo Dome on Thursday night to express her views on immigration enforcement actions in the US, saying her “heart is aching” for those affected in America.
During her third of four scheduled shows at the Tokyo Dome, Lady Gaga stopped her show to talk to her audience about something she called an urgent issue before performing her song ‘Come to Mama.’
“I want to take a second to talk about something extremely important to me. Something important to people all over the world and especially in America right now.”
She then expressed her views on immigration enforcement actions by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
“In a couple of days, I’m gonna be heading home, and my heart is aching thinking about the people, the children, the families, all over America, who are being mercilessly targeted by ICE. I’m thinking about all of their pain and how their lives are being destroyed right in front of us. I’m also thinking about Minnesota and everyone back at home who is living in so much fear and searching for answers on what we all should do.
“When entire communities lose their sense of safety and belonging, it breaks something in all of us. I hope that you’ll all stand with us tonight. I know we’re not in America right now, but we are with our community, and we love you.”
“I’d like to dedicate this song to everyone who is suffering, to everyone who’s feeling alone and helpless, anyone who’s lost a loved one and is it having a difficult time, an impossible time, seeing when the end will be near.”
“We need to get back to a place of safety and peace and accountability. Good people shouldn’t have to fight so hard and risk their lives for well-being and respect, and I hope, I hope our leaders are listening. I hope you’re listening to us ask you to change your course of action swiftly and have mercy on everyone in our country.”
“At a time where it doesn’t feel like it’s easy to have hope, it is my community and my friends, my family, that hold me up. So, I would like to sing a song that does have some hope in it, to try to give us a little bit tonight.”
The remarks were made in the wake of the ongoing controversy regarding immigration enforcement actions in Minneapolis.
On Jan. 24, federal agents shot and killed Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old nurse. The agents were conducting an immigration enforcement operation. The agents shot Pretti after an altercation. The incident was captured online, leading to debate.
The fatal shooting is the second in Minneapolis. Earlier, ICE agents shot and killed Renée Nicole Good during an immigration enforcement operation. The agents shot Good after they perceived a threat.
