K-pop star Lara, a member of the pop group KATSEYE, was recently the subject of a false report to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). An anonymous individual accused her of living and working in the United States without proper legal authorization.
A screenshot of an alleged ICE tip form, circulated on social media, claimed that Lara was an “illegal alien” residing in Los Angeles without the necessary visa or legal status. The form’s “summary of criminal activity” column read:
“There is an illegal alien in LA known by the name Lara Rajagopalan; she has not obtained the necessary visa or legal status required to remain in the US and appears to be working and residing in the United States without legal authorization.”
The report was allegedly submitted by a supposed K-pop fan, and the incident quickly escalated online. One social media user posted the screenshot of the complaint with the message, “See you in the city jail,” tagging Lara in the post.
However, the claim was quickly debunked. Lara Rajagopalan is, in fact, a U.S. citizen.
Backlash
The false accusation has drawn backlash, with many supporters calling it racially motivated. Fans pointed out that Lara often receives disproportionate hate because of her Indian heritage.
One fan on X (formerly Twitter) wrote: “Blocking everyone who justifies racism towards Lara over fanwars. It’s always her who has to deal with this because she’s Indian. Do people think deportation jokes are funny? This happened to Hanni and now to Lara.”
The incident comes amid heightened immigration enforcement in the U.S., with authorities increasing raids and deportation actions across the country. Earlier this month, ICE briefly detained Khaby Lame, TikTok’s most-followed star, in Nevada for overstaying his tourist visa.
Who Is K-pop Star Lara?
Lara Rajagopalan was born in Dallas to Indian Kavita and Sri Lankan father Sri Rajagopalan. Raised in Dallas and Los Angeles, she began training in singing, dancing, and acting at the age of four. In 2018, she appeared in a video for Michelle Obama’s Global Girls Alliance and finished second in the final selection for KATSEYE.
KATSEYE, a global girl group formed through the HYBE x Geffen collaboration, debuted in June 2023 with their single Debut. The group includes six members: Sophia, Manon, Daniela, Lara, Megan, and Yoonchae, and has since gained rapid popularity in the global K-pop scene.
