Overview

• The Department of Homeland Security posted a one-minute clip on X that paired arrest footage with Pokémon imagery and the show’s theme music.
• The video intercut scenes of Ash throwing Pokéballs with armed officers handcuffing people presented as undocumented migrants and used the phrase “Catch ’em all.”
• Pokémon said Friday that neither the company nor its subsidiaries created or published the clip and that its intellectual property was not approved for use.
• The post drew heavy engagement online, with roughly 12.4 million views and about 42,000 comments reported by outlets tracking the metrics.
• The clip was linked to a Chicago enforcement effort dubbed “Midway blitz,” and as of Friday there was no indication of a DHS takedown or legal action by the company.