Country star Zach Bryan takes aim at ICE in teaser for new song

Zach Bryan during the Stagecoach Music Festival at Empire Polo Club in Indio, California, on April 25. Daniel DeSlover/Sipa via CNN Newsource

Grammy award-winning country singer Zach Bryan has seemingly taken a swipe at raids by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement with the teaser of his new song, inserting himself into a political debate that has divided the nation.

The 29-year-old is one of country music’s biggest stars, earning praise for his raw lyrics and genre of personal storytelling.

The minute-long teaser of his upcoming single “Bad News” has divided opinion on social media, with Bryan’s right-leaning fans calling out his perceived criticism of President Donald Trump’s unprecedented raids on undocumented immigrants, and those left-leaning praising his stance.

“And ICE is gonna come bust down your door, try to build a house no one builds no more, but I got a telephone, kids are all scared and all alone,” he sings.

Byran uploaded a snippet of the song to his Instagram page on October 3 with the caption: “the fading of the red white and blue.”

On Tuesday, Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin wrote on X, “Stick to Pink Skies, dude.”

Bryan, a U.S. Navy veteran who hails from Oklahoma, began recording and posting videos of himself playing his original songs on YouTube in 2017 and has since grown to become one of country music’s hottest draws.

He released his first two albums while still in the service and is hailed in the country music scene for his raspy tone and mix of that genre with folk music in a way many believe captures modern day Americana.

His two most recent studio albums, 2023’s “Zach Bryan” and last year’s “The Great American Bar Scene,” have been both critically acclaimed and commercially successful.

Navigating progressive politics has long been a commercially treacherous act for country stars, who risk alienating their conservative fanbase. In 2003, The Dixie Chicks – now known as The Chicks – faced backlash within the industry for their comments about former President George W. Bush and the Iraq War.

However, a shift is occurring, with younger stars and their fans more willing to embrace progressive ideals and publicly criticize the right.

In 2018, Taylor Swift famously broke her political silence and endorsed Tennessee Democrats ahead of the midterm elections. The 2020 Netflix documentary “Miss Americana” revealed just how monumental a decision this was for the singer. The cameras captured a tearful Swift explaining her decision to her father, who was concerned about her safety and the potential for backlash.

Since his reelection last year, Trump has significantly escalated immigration raids across the U.S., igniting a sense of anxiety among immigrant communities in the country.

Bryan’s snippet of “Bad News” comes days after he broke the record for the largest ticketed concert in U.S. history last month, a title previously held by country music icon George Strait.