Overview
- Leaked internal messages reported by The Washington Post show White House officials pressing ICE to rapidly produce videos as immigration raids increased.
- Public affairs personnel accompanied officers during operations to film arrests and flag the most cinematic moments for promotion.
- ICE’s digital team rushed edits and postings to secure viral traction, coordinating distribution across agency and White House accounts.
- DHS augmented the effort with nontraditional recruits, including a MAGA lifestyle influencer, a wedding videographer, and a television actor.
- Chats depict officials mocking immigrants and dismissing copyright warnings as the team used unlicensed music that drew complaints from artists such as Sabrina Carpenter and Pokémon.