An Australian social media personality is making headlines with claims that singer Billie Eilish's controversial comments about immigration led directly to his deportation from the United States. Drew Pavlou, who describes himself online as a "Western civilization enjoyer" and "patriot," says he spent thirty hours detained at Los Angeles International Airport before being sent back to Australia.
The Controversial Grammys Speech
The incident traces back to Eilish's polarizing acceptance speech at the 68th Annual Grammy Awards earlier this month. After winning Song of the Year for "Wildflower," the 24-year-old singer made several provocative statements about immigration policy in the United States.
"No one is illegal on stolen land," Eilish declared during the nationally televised broadcast. "I feel like we just need to keep fighting and speaking up and protesting, and our voices really do matter, and the people matter."
The singer went even further, directly criticizing Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers with an expletive-laden condemnation of their enforcement actions in American cities.
The Prank That Backfired
In response to Eilish's comments, Pavlou announced he would travel to California to test the singer's stated principles. He created a social media campaign pledging to move into Eilish's multimillion-dollar beachside mansion in Malibu.
"I'm just going to ring the bell and ask to move in," Pavlou quipped on his platforms. "She said no human being is illegal on stolen land and I think that's a beautiful vision and I would like to help bring about that world in reality."
According to Pavlou's account, what began as an online joke quickly escalated when he actually attempted to enter the United States. He claims Department of Homeland Security agents detained him for thirty hours at LAX before denying him entry.
Social Media Fallout
Pavlou took to X and Instagram to share his experience, posting: "Billie Eilish got me deported from the U.S. — I think her legal team contacted DHS. I spent 30 hours at LAX immigration trying to explain that my posts were just a joke and that I didn't actually plan to personally move into her mansion."
Despite the serious consequences, Pavlou maintained his characteristic humor about the situation. "I can't even be mad because it's kind of funny," he later posted. "It's obviously a joke... Honestly, it's amazing performance art. As a joke... I somehow managed to get Billie Eilish and American liberals to endorse border control and deportations."
Broader Reactions and Context
Eilish's Grammys comments have sparked significant controversy beyond Pavlou's prank. The Tongva tribe, an Indigenous group that claims Eilish's property sits on their ancestral land, issued a statement through a spokesperson to the Daily Mail.
"Eilish has not contacted our tribe directly regarding her property," the spokesperson said. "We do value the instance when public figures provide visibility to the true history of this country."
Several celebrities and public figures have weighed in on both sides of the debate. Shark Tank star Kevin O'Leary told Eilish to "shut your mouth and just entertain," while Real Time host Bill Maher questioned the practical implications of her statements.
"What's the practical next step if you say there is no such thing as illegal people on stolen land?" Maher asked during his show. "Do we just go back to living in teepees?"
Media Attempts to Test the Theory
Pavlou wasn't the only one attempting to test Eilish's principles. GB News reporter Ben Leo traveled to the singer's Los Angeles neighborhood to see if she would practice what she preached.
Standing outside the gates of Eilish's property, Leo said in his broadcast: "Billie reckons there's no such thing as an illegal human because we're all on stolen land. So, we're here in Billie's quite posh neighbourhood in Los Angeles. Let's go see if she practices what she preaches."
When his calls at the gate went unanswered, Leo continued: "Let us in, please Billie. We are here because this is stolen land, Billie, and we think we should be given access to your quite lovely $3 million mansion."
Family Defense and Industry Response
Eilish's brother and frequent collaborator Finneas came to his sister's defense on social media platform Threads. "Seeing a lot of very powerful old white men outraged about what my 24-year-old sister said during her acceptance speech," he wrote. "We can literally see your names in the Epstein files."
Eilish was far from the only artist to address immigration issues during the Grammys ceremony. Olivia Dean and Bad Bunny both criticized former President Donald Trump's immigration policies, while several stars including Canadian singers Joni Mitchell and Justin Bieber wore pins emblazoned with "ICE OUT" in solidarity with the movement.
The Toronto Sun has reached out to the Department of Homeland Security for comment on Pavlou's claims but has not received a response at the time of publication. Pavlou, meanwhile, continues to share updates about his "performance art" deportation experience with his 65,000 social media followers.
