Cardi B found herself in a heated Twitter battle with the Department of Homeland Security after threatening ICE agents during her Palm Desert concert Wednesday night.
The Bronx rapper kicked off her 34-date tour by asking if any Guatemalans or Mexicans were in the crowd. She then sang a snippet of “La Cucaracha” before making her stance clear.
“If ICE come in here we’re gonna jump their a####,” Cardi B told the California audience. “I’ve got some bear mace in the back. They ain’t taking my fans.”
DHS didn’t let the threat slide. The agency fired back on X with a pointed reference to her past legal troubles.
“As long as she doesn’t drug and rob our agents, we’ll consider that an improvement over her past behavior,” DHS posted.
Cardi B quickly responded by shifting the conversation to more serious allegations. She tweeted back about the Epstein files and questioned why those investigations weren’t getting the same attention.
“If we talking about drugs let’s talk about Epstein and friends drugging underage girls to rape them,” she wrote. “Why yall don’t wanna talk about the Epstein files?”
What a weak “clapback.”
The only reason the “Epstein files” are out is because of President Trump. Trump arrested Epstein during the first term and just released millions of files.
Your friends Jay-Z and TMZ founder Harvey Levin are mentioned in the files, any comment? https://t.co/QPJWPMl92J
— Alex Bruesewitz 🇺🇸 (@alexbruesewitz) February 12, 2026
Alex Bruesewitz, former top adviser for President Trump’s 2024 campaign, wasted no time attempting to sow division between the two rappers.
“The only reason the ‘Epstein files’ are out is because of President Trump. Trump arrested Epstein during the first term and just released millions of files.Your friends Jay-Z and TMZ founder Harvey Levin are mentioned in the files, any comment?” Bruesewitz fumed.
Then, he started retweeting Nicki Minaj’s social media posts in support of the Save America Act. Minaj spent Thursday urging her fans to call senators and push for the passage of Trump’s SAVE Act.
The legislation requires a photo ID and proof of citizenship to vote. It passed the House 218-213, but faces an uphill battle in the Senate.
“Dear Barbz, call your senators, then tweet #SaveAct to let me know you did it,” Nicki Minaj posted to her millions of followers. Minaj even offered bribes to get fans involved. The White House reposted her video with the message “Barbz- find your senators.”
Barbz- find your senators:https://t.co/yTd5j5Srr1 https://t.co/VIFn5b3RSk
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) February 12, 2026
Minaj’s support for the SAVE Act puts her at odds with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. He called the legislation “Jim Crow 2.0” and said it would be “dead on arrival” in the Senate.
Minaj fired back in all caps, telling Schumer to “stop weaponizing Jim Crow & the Holocaust in your political theater.” She accused him of protecting unauthorized immigrants to “cheat American citizens out of fair elections.”
QUEEN 🇺🇸
May I just add this one lil tidbit…
BLACK PPL have ID b/c they know their black ass is more likely to be pulled over or stopped in the street!!! STOP using black ppl & married women in your shenanigans and say what you really mean!
You really mean ILLEGAL… https://t.co/aWNwBo5fL4— Nicki Minaj (@NICKIMINAJ) February 12, 2026
The political divide between the two rappers adds new fuel to a rivalry that dates back years. Their beef has included everything from social media arguments to a physical altercation at a 2018 fashion week party.
Cardi B’s tour continues through April with a March 12 stop in Minneapolis. That city has seen ICE and Border Patrol agents kill two American citizens this year during protests against federal immigration enforcement.
The Trump administration announced Thursday it’s ending the surge of immigration agents sent to Minnesota. The decision came after months of protests and the shooting deaths of two citizens who opposed the federal presence.
