Tom Morello Joins Super Bowl Protest Against ICE

The Rage Against the Machine guitarist held a sign calling for the abolition of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency.

Published on Feb. 9, 2026

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Tom Morello, the former guitarist of Rage Against the Machine, was photographed at Super Bowl LX holding a towel with the phrase "ICE OUT" printed on it. The towel was part of a larger protest organized by the group Contra-ICE, which is made up of artists, musicians, and community organizers standing against the "inhumane treatment and abuses" carried out by ICE and U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

Why it matters

Morello has been vocal in his criticism of ICE and border enforcement in recent months, including participating in a concert in Minneapolis that raised money for the families of two people killed in incidents involving federal agents. The Super Bowl protest towel was designed to be a "non-disruptive visual action" to raise awareness about the group's cause.

The details

The towel featured a cartoon of a bunny kicking a football encased in ice, a reference to this year's Super Bowl halftime performer Bad Bunny. On the other side, the towel had a QR code that linked to information and resources from Contra-ICE. The design also included a heart-shaped grenade, a nod to the cover of Green Day's 2004 album "American Idiot," as the band was scheduled to perform at a Super Bowl Kickoff event.

  • Tom Morello shared a photo of himself holding the "ICE OUT" towel on Sunday, February 8, 2026, during Super Bowl LX.
  • On January 30, 2026, Morello and Bruce Springsteen performed at a concert in Minneapolis that raised money for the families of two people killed in incidents involving federal agents.

The players

Tom Morello

The former guitarist of the band Rage Against the Machine, who has been vocal in his criticism of ICE and border enforcement.

Contra-ICE

A group of artists, musicians, and community organizers standing up to the "inhumane treatment and abuses" carried out by ICE and U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

Lalo Alcaraz

The cartoonist and activist who designed the "ICE OUT" towel distributed at the Super Bowl.

Bad Bunny

The Puerto Rican rapper and singer who performed at the Super Bowl LX halftime show.

Green Day

The veteran rock band that was scheduled to perform at a Super Bowl Kickoff event on the day of the game.

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What they’re saying

“We must not let individuals continue to damage private property in San Francisco.”

— Robert Jenkins, San Francisco resident (San Francisco Chronicle)

What’s next

The Contra-ICE group plans to continue distributing the "ICE OUT" protest towels at future high-profile events to raise awareness about their cause.

The takeaway

Morello's protest at the Super Bowl is part of a larger organized movement by artists, musicians, and community organizers to stand against the actions of ICE and border enforcement agencies, highlighting the growing public opposition to the agency's practices.