Tens of thousands of people have rallied to call for the deportation of rapper Nicki Minaj, following a petition launched on Change.org. The online protest, which garnered nearly 50,000 signatures in a few weeks, seeks to have Minaj sent back to her home country of Trinidad. This outcry emerged after Minaj appeared on stage at Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest event in Phoenix on December 21, alongside Erika Kirk, widow of the late far-right media personality Charlie Kirk.

Minaj, who moved to the United States at the age of five, stated in a 2024 livestream that she is still not a U.S. citizen. The petition, published on December 27 with an image of Minaj high-fiving Erika Kirk, expresses deep disappointment among her fanbase. Its description reads, "This is personal for those of us who watched Nicki rise as a beacon of hope, only to feel abandoned by her shift in values." It further states that her "public platform carries weight and responsibility," and her recent actions are "a stark contrast to the solidarity she once showed, leaving many feeling deflated and disillusioned." The petition argues that "Deporting Nicki Minaj back to Trinidad would serve as a reminder that public figures need to be accountable for their words and the broader impact they have on diverse communities."

Signatories of the petition frequently voiced their dismay regarding the hip-hop artist’s alignment with Turning Point and the Donald Trump administration. This alignment is particularly contentious given the Trump administration’s past actions, including a crackdown on immigrant communities through ICE raids and mass deportations. This stands in stark contrast to Minaj's own past statements on immigration.

Seven years prior, during Trump's first White House term, Minaj had publicly opposed his immigration policies, drawing on her personal experiences. In a 2018 Instagram post, she wrote, "I came to this country as an illegal immigrant @ 5 years old. I can’t imagine the horror of being in a strange place & having my parents stripped away from me at the age of 5. This is so scary to me. Please stop this. Can you try to imagine the terror & panic these kids feel right now? Not knowing if their parents are dead or alive, if they’ll ever see them again…"

However, it appears Minaj has significantly shifted her stance. Shortly before her appearance at Turning Point USA, where she referred to Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance as "role models," she had praised the administration for its intervention in the alleged persecution of Christians in Nigeria. She spoke on this matter at a United Nations event in November, stating, "I would like to thank President Trump for prioritizing this issue… And his leadership on the global stage in calling for urgent action to defend Christians in Nigeria and to combat extremism and to bring a stop to violence against those who simply want to express their natural right to freedom of religion or belief."