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White House slammed for using Bad Bunny song in new ICE deportation video
The White House has faced criticism after using Bad Bunny’s song ‘La Mudanza’ in a TikTok video promoting Immigration and Customs Enforcement deportations. Critics objected because the Puerto Rican artist has publicly criticised the Trump administration’s immigration policies and ICE, making the use appear at odds with his views.
The video, posted on 30 July, combined footage of ICE detaining undocumented people with lyrics praising parents, while on-screen text changed the message to praise Donald Trump. The article says Bad Bunny had previously avoided touring the US over concerns about ICE raids, and places the incident alongside objections from Ariana Grande, Sabrina Carpenter, Olivia Rodrigo and other artists whose music has been used in White House or Trump-related videos.
In short
- White House used Bad Bunny music in an ICE deportation video.
- Fans criticised the use given his opposition to ICE.
- Several artists have objected to similar political music use.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Music obtained through proper licensing can legitimately be used for government communications, and artists who release works publicly cannot reasonably expect to control every use according to their personal political views. Government agencies require the ability to communicate their policies effectively without deferring to individual artists' political preferences, which would be impractical to accommodate. The song's lyrics about moving and change are generic enough to serve various contexts, and public discourse remains entirely free to criticise the policy itself; institutional messaging should not be constrained by partisan objections from artists.
The case against
Bad Bunny has been publicly vocal in opposing Trump's immigration policies and ICE, making the use of his music to promote those policies a disrespectful contradiction of his explicit stance. Artists retain ethical and moral claims to their creations, and deliberately using someone's work to advance causes they have criticised is a form of manipulative misappropriation. When powerful institutions use private citizens' creative work without approval to contradict the artists' own values, it raises fundamental questions about respecting individual integrity and artistic autonomy.
Explained simply
Bad Bunny is a Puerto Rican singer whose music is popular internationally. Puerto Rico is a US territory, and its residents are US citizens, though the island has a different political status from a US state.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement, usually called ICE, is the US agency responsible for enforcing federal immigration law, including detaining and removing people who do not have permission to stay in the country. The Trump administration’s approach to immigration and ICE has drawn criticism, including from some musicians.
Artists’ songs can become part of public disputes when they are used in political videos. Their views may differ from the message attached to the music, raising questions about how the song is being used and whether the artist supports that message.
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