 "Screengrabs from video posted by White House on X")
The White House has come under fire after releasing a video showing undocumented migrants being deported on a flight with the song “Na na na na, na na na na, hey hey, goodbye” playing in the background.
The video, released Sunday (April 6), quickly drew criticism from users on social media, with many calling the post “dehumanising”.
A user on X commented: “It would be great if you guys stopped with the dehumanising posts!” Another remarked, “Why so much show off? Just deport them.”
This isn’t the first time the Trump administration has mixed deportation messaging with pop music. Just a few weeks earlier, the White House shared another video, this time set to Semisonic’s “Closing Time.” The clip featured a deportation in progress, paired with the song’s iconic lyric: “Closing time, you don’t have to go home, but you can’t stay here.” The message was loud, clear—and oddly set to a 90s bar anthem.
That video also sparked outrage on social media. “This is ghoulish behavior. Sociopathic. Shame on you,” one X user wrote. Another said, “It would be great if you guys stopped with the dehumanizing posts! It’s disgusting.”
The White House released another controversial video in February showing migrants in shackles, causing uproar worldwide, especially in India. In the 41-second video, an officer was seen securing a man in shackles before he boarded a deportation flight. The camera then panned over a set of handcuffs and chains lying on the airport tarmac, as another officer pulled restraints from a basket.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsShortly after stepping back into office, Trump made it clear that cracking down on illegal immigration was a top priority. He signed a series of executive orders aimed at ramping up deportations and strengthening border controls, signalling a tough stance right from the start.
Despite criticism, the Trump administration has doubled down on his anti-immigration theatrics, arguing they have been an effective tool in discouraging people from trying to enter the US illegally.
“In March, the US Border Patrol encountered just 7,181 illegal immigrants at the southern border, a 95 per cent decrease from 2024 and a 97 per cent decrease from 2022,” said the White House in a statement.
(With inputs from agencies)