Nicki Minaj is facing major backlash after appearing at Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest in Phoenix last December. Since that appearance, a Change.org petition calling for her deportation has picked up nearly 50,000 signatures, accusing the rapper of abandoning values her fans once believed she stood for. The petition was launched after Minaj shared the stage with conservative figures at the event and praised the president and his administration — a sharp turn from her past criticism of his immigration policies. Minaj has previously said she moved from Trinidad to the U.S. at age five and confirmed in 2024 that she is still not a U.S. citizen. Supporters of the petition say they feel “disillusioned” by what they see as her alignment with Turning Point USA and the president’s administration, especially amid increased ICE raids and deportations. That disappointment stings more because, back in 2018, Minaj publicly opposed similar immigration policies, citing fear for children separated from their parents — drawing directly from her own childhood experience. What changed? In recent months, Minaj has openly praised the administration for intervening in the persecution of Christians in Nigeria. She even thanked the president publicly at a United Nations event, calling his leadership essential in defending religious freedom abroad. Shortly after, she referred to the president and Vice President JD Vance as “role models” during her Turning Point appearance.