White House Faces Backlash Over AI-Generated Cartoon Mocking Migrant's Arrest

The administration's use of a Studio Ghibli-style meme to depict a detained Dominican migrant has drawn widespread criticism for its perceived cruelty and unprofessional tone.

The White House posted an AI-generated Studio Ghibli-style cartoon depicting the arrest of Virginia Basora-Gonzalez, a previously deported felon convicted of fentanyl trafficking.
The cartoon, shared on the White House's official social media account, mocked Basora-Gonzalez's emotional reaction to her arrest, stating 'She wept when taken into custody.'
Social media users widely criticized the post as dehumanizing and unprofessional, with many expressing outrage at its tone and content.
Basora-Gonzalez was arrested by ICE on March 12 outside her workplace in Philadelphia after reentering the U.S. illegally; ICE defended the arrest as part of its public safety mission.
The White House's use of AI-generated imagery aligns with its broader pattern of leveraging internet trends for controversial immigration enforcement messaging.