Ariana Grande launches immigrant support foundation after White House row

Ariana Grande launched a new charitable foundation aimed at supporting immigrants and other vulnerable communities, just one day after successfully blocking the White House’s unauthorised use of her music in a social media post promoting immigration enforcement.

The singer and actress announced the creation of The Brighter Days Ahead Foundation on Friday, describing it as an expansion of causes she has supported privately for years.

“I am beyond excited to finally announce the brighter days ahead foundation,” Grande said in a press release. “Our mission is to support, protect, and provide resources for our vulnerable friends in need.”

Foundation Focuses on Vulnerable Communities

According to Grande, the foundation will support organisations that provide care, protection and resources to people facing hardship.

“It has been my privilege to be able to support these causes on my own over the years,” she said. “I’m grateful to now be able to expand that reach and amplify the life-saving work that these organisations do through the brighter days ahead foundation.”

The organisation says it will champion justice and equity while focusing on mental health, LGBTQ+ rights and crisis response initiatives.

Four Funding Programmes Announced

The Brighter Days Ahead Foundation will channel support through four separate funds.

Three of those programmes are already providing financial backing to recipient organisations. Protect & Defend supports grassroots groups focused on LGBTQ+ rights, civil rights and reproductive justice. Heal & Dream seeks to expand access to mental health care, while Seen & Celebrated focuses on ensuring LGBTQ+ stories are heard and shared.

The foundation is also accepting donations through its official website and through sales of a branded black hoodie bearing the message “funding vital efforts to support our friends in need.”

Foundation Launch Follows White House Music Dispute

The announcement came a day after Grande publicly objected to the White House’s use of her 2024 song “Bye” in a TikTok video promoting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

The video featured footage of immigrants being detained by ICE agents alongside the caption: “Bye-bye. President Trump has delivered the most secure border in history.”

Grande responded directly in the comments section.

“Please do not ever use my music in relation to this barbaric, inhumane, heinous nonsense,” she wrote before adding an expletive directed at ICE.

Her team subsequently moved to have the song removed from the video. Within hours, the audio featuring “Bye” had been muted.

The dispute drew significant attention online and further highlighted Grande’s opposition to the administration’s immigration policies.

The singer has previously signalled support for immigrant rights and related causes, including wearing an “ICE Out” pin during the 2026 Golden Globe Awards.