The Department of Homeland Security is facing criticism from brands and artists for using their work in memes posted to its social media accounts.
The DHS maintains a busy presence on X and Instagram, regularly posting mugshots of undocumented migrants alongside tweets encouraging people to join ICE.
The department recently attracted a savage response from the creators of South Park after it repurposed a still from the show satirising ICE during an episode that mocked the Trump administration and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem in particular.
Before that, the DHS posted a spoof of a commercial for the British low-cost airline Jet2 featuring music from Jess Glynne to draw an allegedly humorous parallel between summer vacations and its mass deportation push.
A spokesperson for the company said the parody was “not endorsed by us in any way, and we are very disappointed to see our brand being used to promote government policy such as this.”
Glynne herself said she felt “sick” when she first learned of the misuse of her 2015 song “Hold My Hand” and commented on Instagram that it “is about love, unity and spreading positivity – never about division or hate.”
The DHS’s use of the paintings “Morning Pledge” by Thomas Kinkade and “A Prayer for a New Life’ by Morgan Weistling has likewise provoked complaints from the Kinkade Family Foundation and Weistling himself, with both parties stating that the use was unauthorized and objecting to the appropriation.
“We strongly condemn the sentiment expressed in the post and the deplorable actions that DHS continues to carry out,” the foundation wrote in a statement on behalf of Kinkade posted to X.
Responding to the criticism, Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said: “The Department of Homeland Security is bypassing the mainstream media to give Americans the facts, debunk the lies, and unapologetically celebrate our homeland, heritage, and the rule of law.
“We are pleased that the media is highlighting DHS’s historic successes in making America safe again.”
Glynne is not the only musical act the department has upset through its posting.
The rock band Black Rebel Motorcycle Club reacted to the department using its cover of “God’s Gonna Cut You Down” by saying: “It’s obvious that you don’t respect Copyright Law and Artist Rights any more than you respect Habeas Corpus and Due Process rights, not to mention the separation of Church and State per the US Constitution… Go f*** yourselves.”
The estates of Woody Guthrie and Tom Petty have also complained about the use of “This Land is Your Land” and “Won’t Back Down” respectively.
Such reactions have become a familiar complaint for the Trump administration.
Last month, Metallica forced the Pentagon to remove their classic track “Enter Sandman” from a video featuring Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth promoting military drones, again saying its use was unauthorized.
Trump himself has received a deluge of objections from artists unhappy with his use of their songs to soundtrack his political activities.
Linkin Park, Queen, and Neil Young all complained during his first term, as did the Foo Fighters, Isaac Hayes, and Jack White throughout last summer’s presidential campaign.
White was particularly incensed about the Republican’s use of “Seven Nation Army” in a social media clip posted by his then-deputy director of communications Margo Martin last August, raging on Instagram: “Oh....Don’t even think about using my music you fascists. Lawsuit coming from my lawyers about this (to add to your 5 thousand others.) Have a great day at work today Margo Martin.
“And as long as I’m here, a double f*** you DonOLD for insulting our nation’s veterans at Arlington you scum. You should lose every military family’s vote immediately from that if ANYTHING makes sense anymore.”
