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The White House posted the video to its official TikTok account on September 16, splicing together footage of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents handcuffing men and placing them into vehicles. The clip carried a caption playing on the song’s lyrics as “never ending deportations,” though the audio track has since been removed while the visuals remain on the platform. Reports from multiple news outlets confirm the post formed part of the administration’s ongoing social media push on immigration enforcement.
Larsson addressed the matter directly in her own three-minute TikTok response, which has accumulated more than 4 million views since she posted it the following day. She opened the clip by shaping her fingers into an “L” on her forehead before stating that her heart felt heavy and she was genuinely sad about the development. The singer expressed a desire to speak with the video’s creator to underscore that all parties involved share more similarities than differences, according to accounts compiled across several publications.
“These people in this video – they’re real people,” Larsson said in the widely circulated reaction. She drew attention to one individual wearing construction clothing, noting that the vast majority of undocumented immigrants hold jobs and simply seek improved opportunities for themselves and their families. While acknowledging that discussions around immigration policy remain valid, she stressed that the particular video crossed into dehumanizing territory rather than engaging with the underlying issues.
The performer voiced specific objections to the selection of “Midnight Sun,” the title track from her 2025 album that she has described as centering on connections to nature, the universe and fellow human beings. Pairing the song with enforcement footage created what she termed a massive divide, an outcome at odds with the track’s intended spirit of unity. She characterized the overall approach as “so fucking uncool” and directed her closing remarks at those behind the post, calling them “such fucking losers, it’s crazy,” as quoted verbatim in coverage from Billboard and Variety.
This episode represents the second occasion on which Larsson has publicly challenged the Trump administration’s appropriation of her catalog for immigration-related content, a pattern documented by Forbes and The Hill. Earlier in 2026 the White House circulated a video of President Donald Trump dancing to her 2015 single “Lush Life” while overlaying text endorsing ICE and law enforcement operations. Larsson replied at the time with an Instagram story declaring support for various groups and stating that she “fucking hate[s] ICE,” a position she has reiterated in subsequent interviews.
Larsson’s objection adds to a lengthening roster of musicians who have challenged the administration, with Newsweek and IBTimes UK documenting more than a dozen artists including Olivia Rodrigo, Neil Young and Taylor Swift issuing similar rebukes throughout 2026. Many in the industry have called for stricter controls on unlicensed political usage, particularly when the messaging promotes enforcement actions against migrants. The BBC has sought comment from the White House on the latest criticism but had received no reply as of Thursday.
