White House Defends Deportation Video Featuring Unauthorized Use of Semisonic’s 'Closing Time'

The Trump administration faces backlash from Semisonic and international critics over a viral video promoting mass deportations, while legal challenges to the campaign continue.

The White House released a video showing deportations set to Semisonic's 'Closing Time,' which the band condemned as unauthorized and misrepresentative of the song's meaning.
The Trump administration deported 261 individuals, including gang members, to El Salvador despite a federal judge's order to halt the flights, claiming the order was issued after the planes were airborne.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt defended the administration's immigration policies and social media strategy, emphasizing public support and encouraging migrants to self-deport.
Venezuelan officials criticized the deportations, alleging due process violations, while the U.S. Justice Department seeks to replace the judge overseeing the case.
The viral video's cultural impact highlights ongoing tensions between the administration's strict immigration policies and domestic and international criticism.