Olivia Rodrigo Calls ICE “Barbaric” After DHS Used Her Song in Deportation Video Without Permission
Grammy-winning pop star Olivia Rodrigo is speaking out again about a federal immigration agency’s unauthorized use of one of her biggest hits, and this time she is not holding back.
In a new interview with Dazed Magazine, the three-time Grammy winner revealed that stumbling across the video left her feeling “enraged” and described the work of immigration enforcement agents as “barbaric.”
The interview marks Rodrigo’s most candid remarks yet on a controversy that began months ago and has continued to draw attention from artists across the music industry.
The 22-year-old opened up about the moment she first encountered the clip while casually browsing her phone. What she found stopped her cold. “It was so deeply disturbing to see that propaganda,” Rodrigo told Dazed. “The fact it was my song in there made me feel even more enraged.”
Her account of that discovery paints a picture of an artist blindsided by the government’s decision to co-opt her music for a politically charged campaign she wants no association with.
How It All Started
The controversy dates back to a November 2025 social media post from the Department of Homeland Security and the White House. The post used Rodrigo’s track “All-American Bitch,” from her 2023 album GUTS, as background audio for a video urging undocumented immigrants to leave the United States voluntarily.
The caption read: “LEAVE NOW and self-deport using the CBP Home app. If you don’t, you will face the consequences.” The clip also featured footage of agents carrying out immigration arrests.
Rodrigo moved quickly once the video surfaced. She took to Instagram to condemn the post in no uncertain terms, writing that the agency should never use her music to push what she called “racist, hateful propaganda.”
Her message landed fast, and the audio was eventually stripped from the original post, which now carries a note indicating the sound is no longer available. Despite that removal, Rodrigo says the damage to her had already been done.
Rodrigo Condemns ICE Enforcement as Cruel
Beyond the unauthorized use of her music, Rodrigo used the Dazed interview to express broader outrage at the direction of U.S. immigration enforcement. She did not mince her words when describing what she sees happening across the country. “What they’re doing is so awful and barbaric and cruel,” she said. “I am really sad to be in a country that thinks that’s OK.”
Those are strong words from a young artist who has increasingly stepped into the political arena over the past few years. Rodrigo has previously spoken out on topics including abortion access and the conflict in Gaza.
She addressed the role she believes public figures like herself should play when difficult issues arise, acknowledging she is not a policy expert while still making the case for artistic and civic engagement. “I don’t have a political science degree,” she told Dazed, “but I like to try and stay up to date on things and share how I feel.” For Rodrigo, using her platform in moments like these is simply part of the job.
DHS Fires Back Using Her Own Lyrics
The Department of Homeland Security was not quiet in response. A spokesperson issued a statement that pointedly used lines from “All-American Bitch” to push back against Rodrigo’s initial Instagram post.
“America is grateful all the time for our federal law enforcement officers who keep us safe,” the spokesperson said in a comment shared with media outlets. “We suggest Ms. Rodrigo thank them for their service, not belittle their sacrifice.” The agency leaning into the song’s own lyrics was widely noted as a deliberate and pointed jab.
The exchange underscored just how charged the relationship between the entertainment industry and the current administration has become.
President Donald Trump’s second term has been marked by an aggressive push on immigration enforcement, with DHS ramping up recruitment of ICE agents, who have since been deployed to major cities, including Los Angeles, New York City, Chicago, Philadelphia, Miami, and Atlanta. ICE has also faced intense scrutiny following separate incidents involving the deaths of U.S. citizens.
Olivia Rodrigo Is Not Alone
Rodrigo is not the only artist to find herself caught in a dispute with the administration over music rights. In December 2025, pop star Sabrina Carpenter blasted the Trump administration after her song “Juno” was used in an ICE enforcement video. Carpenter went directly to X to address the situation, writing that no one should ever involve her or her music to benefit what she described as an inhumane agenda.
The video in question featured footage of what appeared to be ICE raids set to her music.
The White House did not take Carpenter’s criticism lightly either. A spokesperson responded with language that sharply escalated the confrontation, making it clear the administration had no intention of apologizing for its immigration enforcement actions.
The parallel disputes involving two of pop music’s most prominent young women reflect a broader tension between the current administration and the music industry, which has largely pushed back against its immigration policies. For Rodrigo, the conversation is far from over, and she appears determined to keep her voice in it.
