Pokémon Company Says It Did Not Give Permission For ICE Raid Video
The Pokémon Company has responded to a U.S. government video that used its iconic theme song and characters to promote immigration raids. In a statement, the company said, “Our company was not involved in the creation or distribution of this content, and permission was not granted for the use of our intellectual property.” The Homeland Security clip, posted on X and TikTok, shows ICE agents making arrests while the Pokémon theme plays, complete with Ash Ketchum footage and fake trading cards featuring mugshots of deported individuals.
The video drew swift backlash online and wasn’t the only one to spark outrage. Comedian Theo Von also called out the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for using a clip of him without consent in a separate promo, writing: “Yooo DHS i didnt approve to be used in this…please take this down and please keep me out of your 'banger' deportation videos. When it comes to immigration my thoughts and heart are a lot more nuanced than this video allows.” His clip was taken down, but the Pokémon-themed video remains up as of now. There’s no word yet on whether legal action will follow, though former Pokémon legal exec Doug McGowan noted that the company typically avoids public legal battles in the U.S.
This isn’t the first time Trump’s DHS has run into trouble over unauthorized use of popular media. In another recent case, British artist Jess Glynne said she felt “sick” after her music was used in a deportation video without approval. As the government pushes its aggressive immigration enforcement campaign, criticism continues to mount over its use of beloved pop culture for political messaging.
