Kid In Bad Bunny Halftime Show Not 5-Year-Old Detained By ICE

Around the middle of Bad Bunny's live NFL Super Bowl halftime performance, the Puerto Rican singer is seen handing a Grammy Award to a young Latino boy.

As he kneels down and rubs the boy's head, he says: "Cree siempre en ti" ("always believe in yourself"). Almost immediately, rumors began spreading like wildfire on social media: the boy was none other than Liam Conejo Ramos, an immigrant who has made headlines in recent weeks.

via: People

Bad Bunny is sparking a conversation about Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) despite mostly avoiding U.S. politics with his 2026 Super Bowl halftime show.

On Sunday, Feb. 8, the Puerto Rican star (real name Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio), 31, performed his biggest hits while the Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots faced off for Super Bowl LX at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif.

During the Apple Music halftime show, a young boy was shown watching a clip of Bad Bunny’s recent speech at the Grammy Awards on TV in his family’s living room. The “Me Porto Bonito” singer then entered the scene to present the child with a Grammy Award and patted him on the head before continuing his high-energy performance.

Many viewers took to social media debating whether the boy was Liam Conejo Ramos, a 5-year-old boy who was recently released from a detention center in Texas alongside his father, Adrian Conejo Arias. Back in January, the pair, originally from Ecuador, went viral after they were detained by ICE agents while returning home from Liam's preschool in Minneapolis.

Sharing a side-by-side photo of Ramos and the child at the Super Bowl, one person wrote on X, “The little boy who Bad Bunny handed his Grammy to at the Super Bowl was Liam Ramos!”

Another X user said, “Little Liam Ramos, the 5-year-old taken by ICE was given Bad Bunny’s Grammy at the Super Bowl have time show🏆I cried like a b----h ❤️😭😭.”

A third person on X chimed in, “The little boy Bad Bunny gives his Grammy to hold and the camera stayed on him for a little bit was that Liam Ramos !????? Somebody tell me!! Cause boyyyyy oh boyyyyy that would be EPIC!!”

Following social media speculation, it was later confirmed that the child featured in the halftime show was Lincoln Fox, a half-Argentinian and half-Egyptian child model and actor, who has previously featured in commercials for brands such as Walmart and Target.

Fox, 5, reposted several clips on his Instagram Stories from the Super Bowl halftime show after being tagged by people who recognized him.

Having also shared a video from the stadium of his moment in the show, he wrote, “I’ll remember this day forever! @badbunnypr - it was my truest honor 🐰🏆🏈.”

Over 75,000 people liked the clip and many commented that his feature in Bad Bunny’s performance was their “favorite moment” of the Super Bowl.

Fox’s appearance at the Super Bowl left many viewers questioning whether the singer had intended to refer to Ramos or was symbolizing his own achievements.

“Not Liam Ramos. It was intended to be young Benito. The “dream big/ dreams come true” kinda message,” wrote one person on X.

Sharing a photo that appeared to be Bad Bunny as a child, another X user commented, “It’s actually an actor portraying Bad Bunny as a child. 🥺”

A representative of the W Group, which represents Fox, confirmed in a statement obtained by PEOPLE that Ramos didn't appear in the halftime performance.

"Lincoln Fox’s appearance during the halftime performance came about through standard entertainment industry casting and coordination, and we are incredibly proud of the professionalism, humility, and excitement he brought to the experience," said the W Group spokesperson. "It was a meaningful moment for him and one that reflects the positive direction his young career is taking.

"We are also aware that some viewers have mistakenly identified Lincoln as another child, Liam Ramos. We want to gently and respectfully clarify that Lincoln Fox is not Liam Ramos," the spokesperson continued. "At the same time, our hearts truly go out to Liam and his family. Public attention can be overwhelming, especially for children, and we hope that the conversation surrounding him is handled with compassion, sensitivity, and understanding. Every child deserves kindness, privacy, and grace.

"While we empathize deeply with that situation, we also hope space can be made to recognize Lincoln’s individual journey and achievements," the W Group's statement concluded. "He is grateful for the encouragement he has received and remains focused on continuing his path in a positive and respectful way."

The conversation about Bad Bunny’s halftime show comes after he deleted all of the posts on his Instagram account. 

A representative for Bad Bunny did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for further comment on Monday, Feb. 9.