Eight-time Grammy winner Kacey Musgraves leveraged the opening night of her "Middle of Nowhere" tour in Chicago to advocate for the Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights. On Friday at the United Center, Musgraves asked concertgoers to donate to the organization, describing it as a resource that provides legal aid to children whose parents have been "unfairly" deported.
"It’s a wonderful organization, and they help give aid — legal aid — and money to children whose parents have been deported unfairly," Musgraves stated. "It’s not a political thing. It’s just, these kids need help."
The Chicago-based Young Center works to advocate for unaccompanied and separated immigrant children in government custody by connecting them with legal and social work professionals. The center prioritizes family unity, release from custody, fair legal proceedings, and ensuring the best interests of children. In 2024, the nonprofit reported serving 1,975 children from 53 countries and opening 1,388 new cases. According to its 2025 annual report, the average detention time for children increased from 30 to 198 days, and requests for assistance from detained parents quadrupled compared to 2024.
This is not Musgraves' first engagement with the Young Center. In April, a portion of the proceeds from a resale of her wardrobe on the platform Depop, which included items from her music videos and tours, was designated to benefit the nonprofit. Musgraves previously described the endeavor as supporting a "really beautiful cause" without elaborating on immigration enforcement policies.
Musgraves also invited three brothers, aged 18, 14, and 12, to perform at three Texas shows in May after their family was released from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody. The family, who are mariachi performers, reportedly entered the U.S. in 2023 through the now-defunct CBP One appointment system and sought asylum after fleeing violence in Mexico.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) stated that the family entered the country illegally and was released by the Biden administration. A DHS spokesperson informed KSAT that federal law mandates detention while immigration claims are processed, citing the statute. The spokesperson contrasted this with the Trump administration's approach, asserting it would not disregard the rule of law.
Musgraves' appeal coincides with a period of elevated ICE enforcement activity. Federal sources indicated to Fox News Digital that approximately 51,000 immigration arrests were made in July, surpassing the previous record of roughly 43,000 in June. DHS noted that ICE agents are arresting and deporting "dangerous criminal illegal aliens, including gang members, from our country."
The "Middle of Nowhere" tour, with Midland as the opening act, continues through October. Representatives for Musgraves, the Young Center, Depop, and DHS did not immediately respond to requests for comment.