Bernice King chimes in on ‘immigrants built this country’ discourse

At the 2026 Grammys, Shaboozey set social media ablaze after declaring that immigrants built America on the first day of Black History Month.

Americans across the country are fighting against the increasing presence of immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers after tensions reached a boiling point with the murders of three U.S. citizens. And during the 2026 Grammy Awards ceremony, artists like SZA, Kehlani, Olivia Dean, and more used their platforms to call out the injustices. While many fans applauded this choice, some social media users did a double-take after Shaboozey declared, “Immigrants built this country” while accepting the award for Best Country Duo/Group Performance for his song “Amen.”

“The last thing I want to say is, immigrants built this country literally. So this is for them, for all children of immigrants. This is also for those who came to this country in search of better opportunity to be a part of a nation that promised freedom for all and equal opportunity to everyone willing to work for it,” the Nigerian-American country singer said. “Thank you for bringing your culture, your music, your stories, and your traditions here. You give America color.” 

While many users understood his sentiments and applauded him for shining a light on the ongoing immigration issues, other Black social media users took slight offense at his word choice, especially at the start of the 100th celebration of Black History Month. 

I don’t think Shaboozey was attempting to erase the history of our enslaved ancestors, I think he was just trying to make a point given the current climate. I do understand that wording is intentional but I don’t think he meant it maliciously.— Tuh'less 🏁🏁 (@TLoveSpeaksss) February 2, 2026

Shaboozey better hope the white country folks love him because he just pissed black people off on the first day of black history month 🤣🤣🤣🤣 pic.twitter.com/GGHFP5zbYi— Duprii 🙌🏾 (@Duprii23) February 2, 2026

As users debated the validity of Shaboozey’s statements, Bernice King, Martin Luther King Jr.’s daughter, went on X to share her thoughts: 

“It’s #BlackHistoryMonth, and I have to ask: Are people including enslaved Africans, descendants of those enslaved, and Black people whose unjust, low-wage labor sustained the economy in the 1800s/1900s as immigrants when they say “immigrants built this country”? Because chattel slavery was for the express purpose of building empire,” King wrote. “But our ancestors weren’t folks who came here seeking a better life. They arrived in chains, were bred like cattle, and severely violated, sexually and otherwise. Their trauma shouldn’t be diminished or forgotten, even in efforts toward freedom from ICE’s inhumane, violent tactics.” 

Emphasizing the importance of “truth” being “taught, embraced, and spoken” in the fight for collective justice, Kinge echoed many of the sentiments 

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Nigerian American "Country" singer Shaboozey won a #GRAMMY , and told the LIE that "immigrants built this country."

This country was built by Foundational Black Americans who are NOT immigrants pic.twitter.com/f8Kn2zwFxj— Tariq Nasheed 🇺🇸 (@tariqnasheed) February 2, 2026

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So far, Shaboozey has not commented on the online discourse