10 hours ago
"She should be deported": Singer Nezza's anthem performance at Dodgers game draws harsh criticism over language choice
Image Source: Shutterstock
Tension erupted at Dodger Stadium as Nezza, or Vanessa Hernández, sang the national anthem in Spanish, El Pendón Estrellado, with the Dodgers-Giants game as the backdrop. One would have thought she would sing it in English, but Nezza, instead, took the opportunity to protest the recent ICE raids and support immigrant families.
The Internet soon exploded with fury, with some critics belittling her,
"Totally selfish decision and she should be deported. The American Anthem should always be sung in English, it would be like going to Russia and singing their national anthem it's an absolute middle finger to America."
Protest through performance at Dodgers Stadium
Nezza explained on TikTok that the Spanish anthem was originally commissioned in 1945 by the U.S. State Department, intended to create bonds with Latin America. Wearing a Dominican Republic shirt, she sang with emotion, expressing how her immigrant parents
"could be ripped away"
- a fear that strikes home in this era of unlawful immigration enforcement.
"Para mi gente," she said, basically stating that this was a performance for unity and cultural pride.
Backlash and support collide
The reaction was sharply divided. Some spectators expressed their venom online, one calling for her to be deported. Others saluted her courage, calling the whole thing beautiful and palpable.
Dodgers declined to comment immediately, but Kiké Hernández did come out for immigrant rights, condemning the ICE raids as either profiling or abuse, if not both.
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The Giants players also chimed in on this outcry, further solidifying sports' alignment against the enforcement actions.
Dodgers' silence and social context
Nezza, in any case, was not removed from the stadium, all sources say. The team has remained relatively quiet on the subject of immigration; manager Dave Roberts noted that the unrest was
'unsettling for everyone.'
He stressed that the Dodgers were trying to be a 'positive distraction' and not a platform for politics.
Still, this performance gave a political edge to what is usually just a routine pregame ceremony at Dodger Stadium.
Also Read:
Singer Nezza performs U.S. national anthem in Spanish despite being told to sing in English only: "Today, Out of All Days… I Needed to Do It"
Nezza's anthem in Spanish wasn't just a song - it was a declaration. She challenged norms, connected with a community feeling targeted by policy, and revealed how sport and social identity are entwined. Whether celebrated or condemned, her act forces us to reevaluate what unity, protest, and belonging truly look like under the stadium lights.
