He Couldn't Hold His Tongue
“An illegal immigrant is a criminal.”
- Gene Simmons
No band in the history of rock and roll has mastered branding better than KISS. For more than five decades, the group has parlayed a catalog of largely mediocre songs into the upper reaches of superstardom through trademarked makeup, a legendary live show, and an army of talented merchandise strategists. The band has not released an album since 2012, which failed to go gold, yet loyal members of the KISS Army continue to empty their wallets on thousands of licensed products, including, infamously, a KISS-branded casket.
In ordinary times, KISS’ accomplishments might be more appropriate for an Effie Award than a Kennedy Center Honor. But these are not ordinary times; they are defined by Trump. While it is difficult to imagine the president blasting KISS in his gold-painted Oval Office, he shares the band’s instinct for emphasizing branding over substance. In selecting KISS for this rare cultural honor, Trump appeared to bypass traditional norms and vetting processes and chose them as an example of the best that American culture has to offer.
When the band traveled to Washington, D.C., to accept the honor, its bassist, occasional lead singer, and most outsized ego could have used the moment to thank fans and express gratitude. Instead, Gene Simmons embarked on a press tour, delivering comments guaranteed to provoke outrage and extend his time in the spotlight. Along the way, he angered many longtime KISS fans by debasing the memory of founding band member Ace Frehley, who, like tens of thousands of seniors each year, had died in a fall just a few weeks earlier. Apparently, Simmons does not only play a demon on stage.
In another interview, Simmons voiced his support for Trump’s immigration crackdown. These remarks were not merely ignorant; they represented a betrayal of both his own immigrant story and the values America claims to uphold.
Attempting to justify his attacks on those who come to this country seeking a better life, Simmons invoked his personal history as an immigrant, declaring, “An illegal immigrant is a criminal.” This statement misrepresents the law. Being present in the United States without authorization is generally a civil violation, not a criminal offense. Labeling civil immigration violations as “criminal” is not a legal description — it is a political strategy. It also obscures the real-world consequences of the policies Simmons supports.
Any Lucía López Belloza
Like Simmons, Any Lucía López Belloza immigrated to the United States as a young child. She was only seven years old when her parents entered the country without authorization while seeking asylum. Trump administration officials have labeled her a “criminal” based solely on that childhood circumstance.
López Belloza, a college freshman, was traveling home to surprise her family during Thanksgiving break when her life was abruptly upended. After clearing TSA, she was apprehended by immigration officials at the airport gate. The following day, a federal judge issued “an emergency order prohibiting the government from moving her out of Massachusetts or the United States”. Instead of complying, the Trump administration deported her the very next day. In this instance, it is fair to ask: who was actually behaving criminally?
Forcibly returning López Belloza to a country she had not lived in since early childhood could have had devastating consequences. The episode illustrates the callousness embedded in Trump’s immigration policies. While she was fortunate to have grandparents in Honduras, she was nevertheless subjected to profound trauma by a nation she had called home for most of her life.
Donna Hughes-Brown
Trump’s so-called “Big Beautiful Bill” did more than cut health insurance subsidies. It also expanded the power of immigration officials to target legal immigrants for long-resolved, minor offenses. Under this authority, Donna Hughes-Brown was detained while returning from a family funeral in Ireland. Her crimes consisted of two bounced checks from more than a decade earlier — one for $22, the other for $49 — both long since repaid.
Hughes-Brown on her farm
Hughes-Brown is a grandmother who has lived in the United States for 47 years and holds permanent resident status. She has five children who are American citizens, and her husband of eight years is a U.S. Navy veteran. Despite these deep ties, she has remained in ICE custody since July, denied bond while awaiting a determination of whether she will be deported to Ireland, a country she has not lived in since she was 11 years old.
An immigrant from Haiti
One might assume that newly naturalized Americans are precisely the people Simmons has in mind when he insists immigrants should “do it the right way.” These individuals invest years of time, money, and emotional energy navigating a complex legal process. They clear every bureaucratic hurdle and are ultimately invited to take the oath of allegiance to their adopted country.
Now imagine preparing for that long-awaited ceremony, only to be told at the ceremony site that you may not participate, solely because you were born in Haiti. The uncertainty compounds the injustice, as government officials offer no timeline, and perhaps no assurance at all, that the oath will ever be administered.
“The New Colossus,” the poem inscribed at the base of The Statue of Liberty, declares the “mighty woman with a torch” to be the “Mother of Exiles.” As she lifts her “lamp before the golden door,” she welcomes people like Gene Simmons; “your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free. The wretched refuse…the homeless, tempest-tost”. The door did not close after Simmons passed through it.
As long as the promise of America endures, Lady Liberty should continue to welcome those who have met the tests of our citizenship process, regardless of whether they come from Haiti or any other country. Past mistakes should not exile grandmothers from the only country they have known for nearly half a century. Young dreamers pursuing higher education should not be deported to places they barely remember. If a nation built by immigrants chooses to withdraw its welcome, the least we can do is return Lady Liberty to France.
Recognized as “a valiant fighter for public schools,” Carl Petersen is a former Green Party candidate for the LAUSD School Board. Shaped by raising two daughters with severe autism, he is a passionate voice for special education. Recently, he relocated to the State of Washington to embrace the role of “Poppy” to two grandsons. Explore more at TheDifrntDrmr.