By Emmanuel Bobby
British rock band Radiohead is calling on the Trump administration to take down a promotional video for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) that uses one of its songs without permission.
The video, posted to social media last week, features a version of “Let Down” from the band’s 1997 album OK Computer. It pairs the track with images of people the administration describes as victims of “criminal illegal alien violence.”
The clip is part of the Department of Homeland Security’s “This is our why” campaign, aimed at defending President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown amid mounting public criticism.
Social media accounts linked to Trump, the White House and the Department of Homeland Security — which together command tens of millions of followers — also shared the video, amplifying its reach across platforms.
In a sharply worded statement, Radiohead demanded the video’s removal.
“We demand that the amateurs in control of the ICE social media account take it down. It ain’t funny, this song means a lot to us and other people, and you don’t get to appropriate it without a fight,” the band said. “Also, go f— yourselves.”
The group’s public relations agency said the song had been used in what it described as an ICE “propaganda” video without the band’s authorization.
A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security did not directly address whether the administration would comply with the band’s request. Instead, DHS Deputy Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis defended the campaign, citing cases involving American victims of crimes committed by undocumented immigrants.
“We fight for the Laken Riley, Jocelyn Nungaray, Rachel Morin, Katie Abraham and countless other American victims of illegal alien crime,” Bis said in an emailed statement. “Where is the compassion for the mothers, fathers, sons, and daughters of Americans who have been brutally raped and murdered by criminal illegal aliens?”
Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke, 57, has long been known not only for his music but also for his outspoken activism on environmental and anti-capitalist causes, often taking public positions on political issues.
The dispute marks the latest clash between the Trump administration and artists over the use of creative works in support of its immigration policies. In recent months, pop star Sabrina Carpenter objected to the use of her song “Juno” in a similar ICE video. Podcaster Theo Von also criticized DHS for using a clip of him in a pro-deportation campaign.
Other high-profile acts, including The Rolling Stones, have previously demanded that Trump stop playing their music at political rallies, underscoring ongoing tensions between the administration and segments of the entertainment industry over the use of copyrighted material in political messaging.
Original article
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