Staff Reports
Pop star Katy Perry sparked nationwide outrage after demanding America “return” Los Angeles to Mexico during recent protests over immigration enforcement. The singer faced immediate backlash for historically inaccurate claims that Mexican settlers founded LA – a city actually established by Spanish colonizers in 1781, decades before Mexico’s independence.
Social media erupted with memes mocking Perry’s revisionist history. Conservative commentators blasted the irony of a wealthy celebrity lecturing Americans about land ownership while living in a $19 million Beverly Hills mansion. Many noted the hypocrisy of glorifying Spanish conquistadors while leftists typically condemn colonial history.
This isn’t Perry’s first controversial statement this year. The Grammy winner recently participated in a $500,000 space tourism flight with Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin company, where she sang Louis Armstrong’s “What a Wonderful World” while floating weightless. Critics called the display tone-deaf as working-class families struggle with inflation.
Spanish officials also investigated Perry last month after she filmed a music video on protected coastal dunes without permits. Environmentalists accused the singer of damaging fragile ecosystems for a publicity stunt – though no charges were filed.
The “California Gurls” singer now faces calls to stay out of politics entirely. Texas Senator Ted Cruz tweeted: “Maybe Katy should focus less on rewriting history and more on writing catchy choruses.” Trucker convoy organizers announced plans to blast her songs on loop during upcoming protests outside her Hollywood home.
Donald Trump joined the fray during a Florida rally, drawing cheers by joking: “We’ll deport Katy Perry before we deport any ICE detainees! Maybe send her back to wherever she thinks LA came from!” The former president later added Perry to his list of “America-hating celebrities” targeted for public shaming.
Immigration experts clarified that Mexico only controlled California for 27 years before the 1848 Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. Historians emphasized that modern LA became a global metropolis through American innovation – not Spanish missions or Mexican governance.
As deleted Instagram comments revealed Perry’s team scrambling to control the narrative, cultural analysts observed a growing public rejection of celebrity activism. Polls show 68% of Americans now believe entertainers should keep political opinions private – a 22-point increase since 2020.
