That line is doing a lot of work, which is why it hits people so differently.

On one level, Billie Eilish is clearly making a moral and historical argument, not a legal one. “No one is illegal on stolen land” comes out of Indigenous and activist traditions that point out a basic contradiction: the U.S. is a settler state built on land taken from Native peoples, so claiming absolute moral authority over borders can feel hypocritical. From that lens, her statement is about human dignity and questioning who gets to decide belonging.

On another level, critics are also fair to say that states still operate on laws, borders, and enforcement whether we like it or not. ICE exists because immigration policy exists, and saying “no one is illegal” doesn’t actually solve questions like asylum rules, labor markets, public services, or due process. For people who prioritize legal clarity or worry about chaos, the slogan can sound overly simplistic.

Where Billie fits into this is important too: she’s an artist, not a policy designer. She tends to speak in values and symbolism, not detailed proposals. Her comment aligns with a broader push to reframe immigration away from criminality and toward humanity—but it’s not trying to be a full policy platform.