Bad Bunny's Super Bowl Halftime Show Uplifts Hispanic Community in Aurora

Puerto Rican star's celebration of Latino culture provides moment of pride amid fears of immigration raids and deportation

Published on Feb. 12, 2026

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Puerto Rican superstar Bad Bunny's Spanish-language Super Bowl halftime show celebrated Latino culture and provided an uplifting moment of pride for many Hispanic residents in Aurora, Colorado, where daily life has been reshaped by fears of immigration raids and deportations. The diverse Denver suburb has been a target of President Trump's rhetoric, with increased immigration enforcement leaving the Latino community feeling besieged, stigmatized and attacked.

Why it matters

Bad Bunny's performance, which Trump labeled 'an affront to the Greatness of America,' was seen by many Latinos in Aurora as a cultural lifeline of recognition and visibility during a dark time marked by fear and low morale in the Hispanic community due to the threat of deportation and immigration raids.

The details

Residents say fear in the Hispanic community is keeping people indoors, with fewer large gatherings and a general sense of unease. The Latino community has faced similar anxieties in the past, but the climate under Trump is seen as worse than the 1980s. For many, Bad Bunny performing entirely in Spanish was crucial, as it showed the government cannot take away their language and identity.

  • Bad Bunny performed at the Super Bowl halftime show on February 12, 2026.

The players

Bad Bunny

A Puerto Rican superstar who performed the Super Bowl halftime show in Spanish, celebrating Latino culture.

Donald Trump

The U.S. President who has claimed the city of Aurora has been taken over by Venezuelan gang members, an assertion local citizens and leaders dispute.

William Herrera

A manager at Panaderia el Paisa, a popular bakery that is a neighborhood hub in Aurora.

Mary Zuloaga

The owner of a beauty salon in Aurora who was born in Colombia and has been in the U.S. since the early 1980s.

Cynthia Moreno-Romero

The co-owner of Ollin Cafetzin coffee house in Aurora, which has a 1,000-book library on ethnic studies and provides trainings for people who wish to observe immigration raids.

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What they’re saying

“The fear factor within the Hispanic community is definitely there – people with papers, people without papers. Many people are scared to come out of their houses, the morale of the community is super low.”

— William Herrera, Manager, Panaderia el Paisa (ksgf.com)

“That's why Bad Bunny's show was so beautiful. For him to represent Hispanics on the biggest stage in America at a time when all the racists are trying to push us down, for him to deliver the message that love is stronger than hate, it filled me with pride. He gave courage to the entire community.”

— William Herrera, Manager, Panaderia el Paisa (ksgf.com)

“He showed that the government can terrorize our community, but they cannot take away our language. If we let them do that, then we have lost our identity.”

— Mary Zuloaga, Owner, Beauty Salon (ksgf.com)

“It is important for us at this time when fear seems like the only thing we can hold on to, to really channel that fear into imagination and organizing. It's important that we highlight joy in these moments.”

— Cynthia Moreno-Romero, Co-owner, Ollin Cafetzin (ksgf.com)

What’s next

Local community leaders in Aurora plan to organize more events and gatherings to celebrate Latino culture and provide a sense of unity and pride for the Hispanic residents who have been living in fear.

The takeaway

Bad Bunny's Super Bowl halftime show performance, entirely in Spanish, served as a powerful cultural lifeline for the Hispanic community in Aurora, Colorado, who have been facing increased fear and stigmatization due to the threat of immigration raids and deportation under the Trump administration. The show provided a much-needed moment of visibility, pride and courage during a dark time.