British alternative rock group Radiohead publicly called on U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to remove a promotional video that used a rendition of the band’s song "Let Down." The group said the song was used without permission and demanded the social media post be taken down.
In a statement provided to media outlets, Radiohead wrote: "We demand that the amateurs in control of the ICE social media account take it down. It ain’t funny, this song means a lot to us and other people, and you don’t get to appropriate it without a fight."
The video, posted by ICE last week, used a version of "Let Down" as its soundtrack while showing a montage of victims of violence that the agency attributed to immigrants who are in the U.S. illegally.
Radiohead said the song’s inclusion in the video occurred without the band’s consent. ICE did not immediately respond to a request for comment outside of business hours.
The dispute comes as ICE operates as a central element of the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement efforts. Human rights advocates have widely criticized ICE’s tactics during what administration officials have described as a crackdown and deportation drive.
Criticism of the agency intensified following the January fatal shootings of two U.S. citizens by federal agents in Minnesota. That episode, along with the broader enforcement campaign, has prompted public condemnation from rights groups and a number of celebrities.
Rights groups say the intensified enforcement posture has produced an environment of fear affecting both citizens and immigrants, with heightened concern among minority communities. The organizations have also raised free speech and due process issues in cases involving ICE detention and attempted deportations of pro-Palestinian foreign protesters who opposed U.S. ally Israel’s assault on Gaza.
Separately, data cited by rights advocates in recent months shows at least eight people have died in ICE detention centers since the start of 2026, following at least 31 deaths in the prior year. Those figures are included in broader critiques of agency practices.
Administration officials have described the crackdown as intended to curb illegal immigration and to enhance domestic security.