Summary:
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Zara Larsson condemns ICE and faces backlash for supporting immigrants, criminals, and LGBTQ+ rights. Critics misinterpret her “I love criminals” comment.
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Larsson defends her statement, highlighting injustice in the criminal justice system and criticizing Trump supporters. Larsson’s post sparks debate.
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Swedish pop star stands by her progressive views, emphasizing the impact of immigration policies on marginalized communities.
Swedish pop star Zara Larsson is doubling down on a controversial political post that’s become one of the most talked-about celebrity social media moments of the year. Over the weekend, the “Lush Life” singer used her Instagram Stories to condemn U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and to stake out a sweeping set of progressive positions, and the response has been fierce, particularly from conservative corners of the internet.
Larsson’s original Instagram Story, shared after the fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good by an ICE agent in Minneapolis, included a list of the communities and causes she said she supports — “immigrants, criminals, trans people, abortions, queers, sl–ty women, contraception, welfare, and socialism” — followed by the blunt declaration: “I f—ing hate ICE.”
Zara Larsson follows up further following backlash to her post condemning ICE:
“Tr*mp supporters are suuuuper upset with me saying I love criminals when referring to my boyfriend and the silliness of him even technically being that for smoking a joint according to Swedish law… pic.twitter.com/QhBOgRKYpq
— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) January 12, 2026
The line that set off the biggest firestorm was her unfiltered “I love criminals” comment. Critics seized on the phrase as an endorsement of crime itself, but Larsson pushed back in a follow-up series of Stories posted later Sunday.
Larsson wrote that she was “confused” that people were so upset about her use of the word criminals when referring to her boyfriend, Swedish dancer Lamin Holmén — who she says is barred from entering the U.S. because of a minor marijuana offense under Swedish law — while many of those same critics support political figures with extensive legal problems. Her exact words: “Tr*mp supporters are suuuuper upset … they voted for one, with 34 felonies, to become the president?” — a direct jab at supporters of Donald Trump.
Larsson argued that “just because someone has been convicted of a crime, doesn’t mean that they’re a bad person” and pointed to what she sees as widespread injustice in how people are treated by the criminal justice system. Larsson explained that her frustration comes from her own life: her partner cannot travel to the United States due to a decades-old marijuana conviction that has technically kept him out of the country, even though the record has been expunged. She used this to illustrate her larger critique of immigration enforcement and criminalization.
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That context lines up with coverage from major outlets, which confirms she tied her comments to the immigration system’s real-world impact, particularly on families and marginalized communities.
