Pokémon has announced that it is not granting permission for its theme song and other footage to be used in an ice deportation raid video posted by the US government.
“We are aware of the recent video posted by the Department of Homeland Security that includes imagery and language associated with our brand,” Pokémon Company International said in a statement to the BBC.
“Our company was not involved in the creation or distribution of this content, and permission was not granted to use our intellectual property.”
The video, posted by the Homeland Security x account and the White House on TikTok, shows several arrests made by Border Patrol and ICE agents alongside the Pokémon song “Gotta Catch ‘Em.”
It also features footage from the opening credits of the Pokémon anime TV show featuring the main character, Ash Ketchum.
The video ends with images of fake Pokémon trading cards depicting men and women arrested on ice and their alleged crimes, including murder, pedophilia, burglary, manslaughter, and child endangerment.
ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) has been conducting raids across the US following Trump’s immigration policies to enforce “the largest criminal deportation program in American history.”
Meanwhile, comedian and podcaster Theo Von has objected to another Department of Homeland Security video that used a clip of him saying, “Heard you got deported, Dude – Bye” to reveal the agency’s deportation numbers.
“Yooo dhs I didn’t approve of it being used in this,” Von wrote on x Area
“I know you know my address, so send a check. And please take it down and please keep me out of your ‘Banger’ deportation videos.”
“When it comes to immigration, my thoughts and heart are much more nuanced than this video allows. Bye!”
On Tuesday, the department shared a 31-second video clip of X captioning it “Bye,” although the post now appears to have been removed.
It started with a von clip, followed by a claim that two million illegal immigrants were deported in the first 250 days of President Trump’s second term.
It then showed Trump saying that “they just stopped coming, they’re not coming anymore,” before ending with the plane taking off with the words “Leave now” written above the image.
It comes after British singer Jess Glynne said in July that she felt “sick” that the White House had used a viral Jet2holiday ad featuring her song as an audio video promoting deportations.
The White House posted a clip on x Showing the handcuffs that Ice is wearing on his global flight.
A Jet2 advert featuring Glynne’s 2015 single, Hold My Hand, and a hilarious voice-over saying “Nothing beats a Jet2 holiday” – which has become a meme that plays over the video.
