Tongva Tribe Responds to Billie Eilish Over Controversial ‘Stolen Land’ Grammy Speech
The Tongva tribe, the Native American group whose ancestral land includes the site of Billie Eilish’s Los Angeles mansion, has spoken out after the singer’s recent Grammy speech. The tribe says public figures should directly mention the tribes if they want to use indigenous issues to make a point.
Eilish, 24, used her acceptance speech to criticize ICE and said, “no one is illegal on stolen land.” Her $3 million home sits on the land historically inhabited by the Tongva, who are sometimes called the “First Angelenos.”
“Nobody is illegal on stolen land. We need to keep fighting and speaking up. Our voices do matter."
— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) February 2, 2026
— Billie Eilish during her acceptance speech at the #GRAMMYs pic.twitter.com/SpVwvUu3GD
A spokesperson for the tribe told the Daily Mail that while they appreciate her message, she hasn’t reached out to them personally. “Eilish has not contacted our tribe directly regarding her property, we do value the instance when public figures provide visibility to the true history of this country,” the spokesperson said.
They added, “It is our hope that in future discussions, the tribe can explicitly be referenced to ensure the public understands that the greater Los Angeles Basin remains Gabrieleno Tongva territory.”
Eilish’s comments quickly drew criticism on social media. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis tweeted, “Oh, gee, this ‘stolen land’ nonsense again? Maybe she should step up and forfeit her Southern California mansion since it is supposedly on ‘stolen land.’”
Oh, gee, this “stolen land” nonsense again?
— Ron DeSantis (@RonDeSantis) February 2, 2026
Maybe she should step up and forfeit her southern California mansion since it is supposedly on “stolen land.” https://t.co/0CVJc5MC65
Republican Senator Mike Lee of Utah also weighed in, writing, “Any white person who does a public ‘stolen land’ acknowledgement should immediately give his or her land to native Americans. Otherwise they don’t mean it. Also, I’m pretty sure they don’t mean it.”
🧵1. If Billie Eilish and the woke elites applauding her are right—that (1) America is built on “stolen land” so (2) “nobody is illegal” here—then what?
— Mike Lee (@BasedMikeLee) February 2, 2026
We can’t enforce our borders and immigration laws?
Who will decide and enforce questions arising under the Eilish Standard™️? https://t.co/tHcrHYZhb2 pic.twitter.com/jqByqNFP3W
The exchange highlights the tensions around celebrity activism and how Indigenous communities are represented in public discussions. The Tongva tribe appears to be encouraging more direct acknowledgment, rather than broad statements, to ensure their history and sovereignty are respected.
This is a reminder that meaningful support for Indigenous communities requires more than symbolic gestures. It’s not enough to make a statement, celebrity voices can be powerful, but they should also seek direct engagement with the people they reference. What do you think? Should public figures reach out to tribes directly when speaking about land and Indigenous issues? Share your thoughts in the comments.
