The company behind the popular Pokémon franchise says it doesn’t want its characters used for propaganda.
Pokémon cards from a Burger King promotion in 1999. (Los Angeles Times)
The company behind the Pokémon franchise is objecting to its brand being used in U.S. government propaganda after a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) video featuring Pokémon content sparked backlash.
Earlier this week, DHS shared a montage on social media showcasing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids. The video incorporated Pokémon imagery, including the original theme song, animations, and the franchise’s signature blue-and-yellow text. Fans quickly criticized the use, and The Pokémon Company International confirmed the agency had no authorization.
“We are aware of a recent video posted by the Department of Homeland Security that includes imagery and language associated with our brand,” the company said in a statement. “Our company was not involved in the creation or distribution of this content, and permission was not granted for the use of our intellectual property.”
The video remains on DHS’s official X account. It features ICE agents making arrests, overlaid with the Pokémon catchphrase “Gotta catch ’em all.” It ends with mock Pokémon cards displaying photos of detainees alongside their names, offenses, and sentencing information.
This is not the first time the agency has borrowed from popular culture in its online posts. Last month, DHS reportedly had to remove a video that used Jay-Z’s “Public Service Announcement” after receiving a copyright complaint. In July, the agency posted a montage set to audio from The Batman (2022), paired with a Bible verse. Other posts have incorporated paintings by artists such as Thomas Kinkade, Morgan Weistling, and John Gast.
DHS has also used clips from comedians. Recently, Theo Von criticized the agency after a video edit used a clip of him saying, “Heard you got deported, dude.” He responded on X: “And please take this down and please keep me out of your ‘banger’ deportation videos. When it comes to immigration my thoughts and heart are a lot more nuanced than this video allows. Bye!” That video has since been removed.
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