Billie Eilish Said ‘No One Is Illegal on Stolen Land.’ Two Weeks Later, the List of People Who Tested That Keeps Growing. She Hasn’t Responded to Any of Them
An Australian man says he was deported from the US for joking about moving to the United States Billie Eilish‘s mansion.
Drew Pavlou A 25-year-old political activist known for protesting the Chinese government. He was once arrested outside the Chinese embassy in London. He ran for the Australian Senate. He describes himself as a “misunderstood theorist of global justice.” If you haven’t heard of it, that’s okay. Ten million people did this.
After Eilish told the Grammy audience that “no man is illegal in stolen land” and added “fuck ICE,” Pavlou shared that she would be moving into her Malibu beach mansion at X because “no man is illegal in stolen land.” He started a GoFundMe. GoFundMe wiped it out at $3,000. Moved to GiveSendGo. He booked a flight.
He actually got on the plane.
What Happened at LAX?
He never made it through immigration. Pavlou says he was detained for more than 30 hours. Customs asked if Eilish was planning to trespass on her property. He told them he was being ridiculous. They asked if the Chinese government had threatened to blow up its facilities.
He laughed. They didn’t.
He claims that Eilish’s legal team notified DHS, but no confirmation has yet emerged. What was confirmed: He got food poisoning from a microwaved burrito, read hundreds of pages of Roberto Bolaño in a holding facility, and was sent back to Australia. His post on this subject was watched 10 million times. Elon Musk responded: “Probably the most ironic outcome.”
Eilish did not respond.
He Wasn’t Even the First
Here’s the thing; Pavlou isn’t the first person to test what Eilish is saying. He’s just the person getting on the plane. The list started growing the morning after the speech.
Within hours, people pointed out that his $2.3 million Glendale mansion was located on the ancestral lands of the Tongva tribe, the indigenous people of the greater Los Angeles Basin. These are not a historical footnote. They are an active tribe seeking federal recognition. A Tongva spokesperson confirmed to Newsweek that Eilish’s home “lies on our ancestral lands” and that she has never had contact with them. Not before we talk. Not after. Not even a DM.
They added a request that is easy to overlook but hard to forget; When people talk about “stolen land”, instead of using the phrase as an empty slogan, they actually call it Tongva without specifying whose land it is.
Eilish did not respond.
Two days later, Los Angeles-based Sinai Law Firm offered X to release Eilish without charge on behalf of Tongva. Lawyer Avi Sinai later told the New York Post that the offer was intended as satire. But his pursuit had teeth: “This is both empty virtue signaling and is also being used as a weapon,” he wrote. “No elected official is giving the land back to the Tongva. Just like Billie Eilish won’t be evicted and won’t give her home back.”
Eilish did not respond.
Later, a GB News reporter went to his mansion in Glendale and stood at the door. “Billie, please let us in. We’re here because this is stolen land.” The door remained closed. The property he called stolen was guarded behind the kind of door that shows the person inside has a strong belief in property boundaries.
Eilish did not respond.
Pile
Drew Pavlou takes a selfie at the LAX immigration office after being detained for more than 30 hours. He said customs officials questioned him about his viral posts joking about moving into Billie Eilish’s mansion. Image credit: @DrewPavlou
At this point, half of political America had thrown its weight behind. Senator Mike Lee said that anyone who declares “stolen land” should surrender their land. Kevin O’Leary told Eilish to “shut up and just entertain.” Mark Ruffalo told O’Leary to shut up. DHS Secretary Kristi Noem called the Grammy performers “misinformed celebrity musicians.” Elon Musk called Eilish a “hypocrite.” Trump called the Grammys “trash.”
Senators, cabinet secretaries, billionaires, Shark Tank hosts, the Hulk; They’re all talking about Billie Eilish. The only person who didn’t talk about Billie Eilish was Billie Eilish.
Her brother Finneas intervened on Threads: “I saw a lot of powerful old white men get angry at what my 24-year-old sister said during her acceptance speech. We can literally see your names in the Epstein files.”
This was the closest thing to an answer the Eilish camp offered. Billie herself said nothing.
Two Weeks of Silence
Image credit: @billieeilish/Instagram
Here’s what Billie Eilish has been publicly stating since February 1: “No one is illegal on stolen land. F–k ICE.”
That’s it; At least in this regard.
The Tongva tribe has since confirmed that he was living on their territory. A law firm offered to release him using his own words. A reporter appeared at his door. A senator, a Shark Tank host, DHS secretary and former president all contributed. And an Australian detractor says he was deported – probably with the help of the immigration system he told the Grammys to go fuck themselves.
Eilish did not clarify whether the statement “no man is outlaw on stolen land” applied to Tongva tribesmen, Australian scribblers or British reporters stopping at her door.
For the record, the door is still closed.
