During an episode of The View on Monday, Whoopi Goldberg left viewers stunned by suggesting that Super Bowl attendees impersonate another race to play a prank on Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

The discussion emerged as the panel talked about Kristi Noem’s statement that ICE agents would be present at the Super Bowl in California this upcoming February. The conversation was also sparked by Bad Bunny’s decision to avoid touring in the U.S., fearing that his concerts would be monitored by agents to identify undocumented immigrants.

Joy Behar, referring to the DHS Secretary as ‘the one who shot the puppy’, mentioned that she would be in attendance.  

In a lighthearted remark, Goldberg quipped: “Everyone, use some cocoa butter, spend time under the sun, and for once, you might try adopting a Latin accent.”

‘See if she can tell who’s who,’ the Oscar-winner continued, to scattered laughs and applause. 

Behar then referenced how during the Holocaust, Jewish and non-Jewish people alike would wear the Star of David so Jewish people couldn’t be hunted down.

The remarks ignited fierce debate online, with some saying the quip went too far. 

‘Hey so, I knew the ladies on The View were crazy, but this… this is next level,’ one person said. 

A second added: ‘If it had been a white person saying what she said, everybody would be up in arms about it.’

Conservative commentator Megyn Kelly weighed in on Monday, writing on X: ‘I hear this is racist.’

‘Why is this program still on air, who is paying for it?’ another critic wrote. 

‘I wonder if they understand that when they say s**t like this, it reinforces the perception that most illegal immigrants are Hispanic,’ wrote another.

‘Selective outrage strikes again. These people & Whoopi Goldberg are lunatics.’ 

The comments sparked questions from critics about whether the show would be canceled. 

Just hours later, Donald Trump called the NFL ‘crazy’ for booking Bad Bunny as its halftime performance.  

When the 31-year-old rapper was announced as the halftime show performer, MAGA world jumped on an interview where Bad Bunny called ICE’s potential presence outside shows as the reason he didn’t schedule any mainland US tour dates. 

He cited the lengthy residency in Puerto Rico – a US territory – and the Trump Administration’s increasing use of ICE agents as reasons why he wouldn’t perform.

‘Man, honestly, yes,’ he replied. ‘There were many reasons why I didn’t show up in the US, and none of them were out of hate — I’ve performed there many times.

‘All of (the shows) have been successful. All of them have been magnificent. I’ve enjoyed connecting with Latinos who have been living in the US.

‘But specifically, for a residency here in Puerto Rico, when we are an unincorporated territory of the US… People from the US could come here to see the show. Latinos and Puerto Ricans of the United States could also travel here, or to any part of the world. 

‘But there was the issue of — like, f*****g ICE could be outside (my concert). And it’s something that we were talking about and very concerned about.’ 

Kristi Noem confirmed ICE’s plans to surround the Super Bowl and the anti-Trump halftime performer, and shared a warning to the National Football League. 

‘The NFL sucks and we’ll win and God will bless us and we’ll stand and be proud of ourselves at the end of the day,’ the DHS Secretary said, when asked if she had a message to the league and the rapper. 

‘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.’

She was then asked to confirm Trump advisor Corey Lewandowski’s statement that agents will surround the game in Santa Clara 

‘Yeah, we’ll be all over that place. People should not be coming to the Super Bowl unless they’re law-abiding Americans who love this country,’ she added.

Earlier this week, Lewandowski revealed agents will have a presence at America’s biggest event and bemoaned Bad Bunny’s selection to perform.

‘It’s so shameful they picked someone who seems to hate America,’ Lewandowski said. 

‘There is nowhere you can provide safe haven to people who are in this country illegally. Not the Super Bowl and no where else. We will find and deport you. That is a very real situation.’ 

While Lewandowski slammed the NFL for tapping the singer to play the big game, he claimed that ICE would have a presence at the big event anyway.

‘I don’t care if it’s a concert for Johnny Smith or Bad Bunny or anybody else. We’re going to do enforcement everywhere. We are going to make Americans safe,’ he said. ‘That is a directive from the president. If you’re in this country illegally, do yourself a favor: Go home.’ 

Bad Bunny getting the gig follows weeks of speculation over who would perform. The NFL typically announces the artist for the halftime show in Week 1. 

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell had long teased pop superstar Taylor Swift to perform at the show, especially after she announced her engagement to Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce.  

‘We would always love to have Taylor play. She is a special, special talent, and obviously she would be welcome at any time,’ Goodell said on the TODAY Show earlier this month.

When pressed by host Savannah Guthrie for more details, Goodell replied, ‘I can’t tell you anything about it’ before adding that it was a ‘maybe’.

This marks the third time in the last five Super Bowls where the artist performing was a rapper.

At Super Bowl LVI in Los Angeles, a cast of Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Mary J. Blige, 50 Cent, Anderson .Paak, and Kendrick Lamar performed. Last year, at Super Bowl LIX, Lamar was the main headliner alongside R&B artist SZA.

According to the Spotify Weekly Top Artists Global chart for the week of September 19, Bad Bunny is the second-most streamed artist behind Swift.

He has over 77million monthly listeners on the platform and over 101million followers on Spotify.

Bad Bunny has been credited with popularizing the sound of Spanish-language rap and trap music worldwide.

He has won three Grammy Awards, eleven Latin Grammy Awards, and has two albums which have gone Platinum in the United States (YHLQMDLG and El Último Tour Del Mundo, both of which were released in 2020).