Lady Gaga delivered a heartfelt speech criticizing the ongoing ICE raids in the U.S. during one of four scheduled concerts for The Mayhem Ball tour in Tokyo, Japan.
"I want to take a second to talk about something that's extremely important to me," Gaga started. "Something important to people all over the world, and especially in America right now. In a couple of days, I'm going to 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."
Mother Monster continued, "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," Gaga noted. "Anyone who's lost a loved one and is 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 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."
The pop star concluded, "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. This is 'Come to Mama.'"
Watch Lady Gaga's full speech below.
