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Sunday, Nov 09, 2025
Outside the box.
Olivia Rodrigo Condemns U.S. Government for Using Her Song in Deportation Video
The singer denounces the Trump administration’s Department of Homeland Security for featuring her music in what she calls a racist and hateful campaign.
Olivia Rodrigo has sharply criticized the Trump administration after discovering that her song “all-american bitch” was used in a government-produced video promoting deportation efforts.
The video, released on official Department of Homeland Security and White House social media accounts, urged undocumented immigrants to self-deport using the CBP Home app.
It featured clips of immigration enforcement actions underscored by Rodrigo’s song, with on-screen text warning viewers that they would face consequences if they did not leave voluntarily.
Rodrigo, who is Filipino American, condemned the use of her music in a comment that read, “don’t ever use my songs to promote your racist, hateful propaganda.” The remark was later removed, but screenshots quickly circulated online, prompting Instagram to disable the song’s use in the video and display an error message reading, “This song is currently unavailable.”
A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security defended the campaign, saying that the United States was “grateful for the officers who keep Americans safe” and suggesting Rodrigo “thank them for their service.” The department declined to say whether it removed her comment or whether the music was used without authorization.
The dispute adds Rodrigo to a growing list of artists who have objected to their work being used by the Trump administration without consent, following similar incidents involving Beyoncé, the Rolling Stones, and Jess Glynne.
Rodrigo has previously spoken out against immigration raids in Los Angeles, saying that her city “simply wouldn’t exist without immigrants” and condemning deportations as “violent and disrespectful to hardworking people.”
The singer’s stand highlights ongoing tensions between artists’ rights and political messaging, as well as the cultural backlash to government campaigns perceived as discriminatory.
The removal of her song from the post reflects the immediate impact of public criticism and the growing sensitivity around unauthorized use of creative works in official communications.
The video, released on official Department of Homeland Security and White House social media accounts, urged undocumented immigrants to self-deport using the CBP Home app.
It featured clips of immigration enforcement actions underscored by Rodrigo’s song, with on-screen text warning viewers that they would face consequences if they did not leave voluntarily.
Rodrigo, who is Filipino American, condemned the use of her music in a comment that read, “don’t ever use my songs to promote your racist, hateful propaganda.” The remark was later removed, but screenshots quickly circulated online, prompting Instagram to disable the song’s use in the video and display an error message reading, “This song is currently unavailable.”
A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security defended the campaign, saying that the United States was “grateful for the officers who keep Americans safe” and suggesting Rodrigo “thank them for their service.” The department declined to say whether it removed her comment or whether the music was used without authorization.
The dispute adds Rodrigo to a growing list of artists who have objected to their work being used by the Trump administration without consent, following similar incidents involving Beyoncé, the Rolling Stones, and Jess Glynne.
Rodrigo has previously spoken out against immigration raids in Los Angeles, saying that her city “simply wouldn’t exist without immigrants” and condemning deportations as “violent and disrespectful to hardworking people.”
The singer’s stand highlights ongoing tensions between artists’ rights and political messaging, as well as the cultural backlash to government campaigns perceived as discriminatory.
The removal of her song from the post reflects the immediate impact of public criticism and the growing sensitivity around unauthorized use of creative works in official communications.
