The rock band Black Rebel Motorcycle Club (BRMC) is demanding that the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) remove a recent video that used their recording of "God's Gonna Cut You Down" without permission.
The band made their disapproval of the DHS very clear, accusing the agency of violating not only copyright law, but fundamental constitutional values.
"It's obvious that you don't respect Copyright Law and Artist Rights any more than you respect Habeas Corpus and Due Process rights," the band wrote. "Not to mention the separation of Church and State per the US Constitution."
"For the record, we hereby order @dhsgov to cease and desist the use of our recording and demand that you immediately pull down your video," the statement continued.
"Oh, and go f–k yourselves," they concluded.
DHS featured the song in an Instagram video montage of federal agents and DHS Secretary Kristi Noem seemingly searching for undocumented migrants in tactical gear from helicopters and boats.
The song, "God's Gonna Cut You Down," was popularized by iconic musician Johnny Cash, who advocated for prison reform and Native American rights.
The video features a portion of the song quoting the prophet Isaiah's words, "Here am I, send me," — a choice criticized in the video's top comment as "the height of blasphemy."
Pastor Zach W. Lambert, who authored the critique, noted that in the Bible, Isaiah's words signified the prophet's willingness to deliver God's warning to corrupt leaders: "'Woe to those who make unjust laws, to those who issue oppressive decrees, to deprive the poor of their rights and withhold justice from the oppressed of my people,' Isaiah 10:1." He accused DHS of co-opting the verses "to justify the very marginalization and oppression being condemned in this passage."
As of Monday, DHS had not publicly responded to BRMC's cease-and-desist demand. The video remains online.
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