The National Times - Singer Sierra Ferrell Condemns ICE for Using Song in Racist Promo Video

Singer-songwriter Sierra Ferrell has issued a strong rebuke of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) after the agency utilized her music in a promotional video that critics have labeled as racist and xenophobic.

Ferrell announced on social media that ICE had used her song "American Dreaming" without permission to accompany footage promoting a nostalgic vision of mid-20th-century America. The singer stated she was "sickened" by the use of her art to support what she described as a "warped view of who belongs in this country."

"I do not stand for this," Ferrell wrote. "I rebuke that my art and expression are being used to victimize our citizens and neighbors." She confirmed that steps had been taken to have the video removed and noted that she was "weighing further legal action against our government for infringing on my rights."

The controversial clip, posted to ICE’s X account, features black-and-white footage of 1930s automobiles transitioning into scenes of American life in the 1950s. The video includes imagery of a mother pushing a baby stroller, large cars driving on highways, views of Mount Rushmore, and a Coca-Cola sign. Throughout the clip, white Americans are shown enjoying their daily lives while Ferrell’s song plays in the background.

The video’s text overlay reads: "The way it was. The way it can be again. Join ICE." Critics pointed out that every individual featured in the footage is white, ignoring the historical reality that Jim Crow laws enforcing racial segregation were still in effect during the period depicted.

Political commentators and public figures quickly condemned the video. Maria Cardona described the clip as "one of the most offensive, racist, xenophobic, dog whistle for white nationalists propaganda" she had ever seen from an official U.S. government account. She argued that such messaging has no place in a country that recently elected a historic number of Black, Latino, and Native American officials.

Commentator David French questioned the appeal of the video’s imagery, asking, "What about this is supposed to be appealing? The old cars? The crappy old strollers? Old cheap motels and strip malls?"

Former Trump administration official Alyssa Farah Griffin also criticized the release, suggesting it contributed to Republican losses in recent midterm elections. She noted that tens of millions of Americans, including voting Republicans, are descendants of non-white immigrants.

In her statement, Ferrell emphasized her support for immigrant communities despite the controversy surrounding her work. "Let me be clear, we are called to love and support our immigrant neighbors and I will continue to do just that," she said.

The incident highlights ongoing tensions regarding how federal agencies portray national identity and immigration policy. ICE’s use of historical imagery has drawn sharp criticism for its exclusionary narrative, with many viewing the video as an attempt to evoke a past era that was not inclusive of all Americans.

S.Lee--TNT