Rising Philadelphia duo Joey Valence and Brae are sounding the alarm after discovering their 2023 single Hooligang was used without authorization in a U S government recruitment clip for ICE. Valence posted on X that he was disgusted that our music was used to promote ICE and that the clip does not reflect his views or those of his group; he added they are actively working to have it taken down.
The video opens with the track’s spoken word intro Yo you wanna see something cool Well I’m a do it anyway over footage of the Buffalo New York ICE detention facility, then cuts to snow covered ICE vehicles and agents in full gear before ending with Join ICE Gov The caption reads This winter, the forecast calls for ICE The clip is part of a pattern of political videos leaning on recognizable songs to grab attention, often without permission, drawing swift backlash from artists who say their work is being hijacked for political messaging.
The incident sits within a broader controversy over how top public figures and federal agencies deploy popular music to bolster domestic agendas. The DHS ICE clip joins a wider set of episodes in which artists have criticized the use of their songs to promote policy or political actions. In the same week, Sabrina Carpenter slammed the White House for posting a compilation of ICE officers chasing and detaining people set to her song Short n Sweet, calling the move evil and disgusting and urging that she not be involved in such promotions.
Olivia Rodrigo joined the chorus of disapproval, urging that her music not be used to promote racist or hateful propaganda, while Kenny Loggins similarly denounced a separate AI generated clip that used his Top Gun hit Danger Zone in a way that supporters say trivialized real world protests. Taylor Swift fans also pushed back after a TikTok used lyrics from The Fate of Ophelia in a militaristic montage, highlighting how fans and artists alike are watching for the boundaries of artistic consent.
The DHS clip centers on a recruitment narrative for ICE, featuring the track Hooligang and imagery of an ICE detention facility, armored vehicles, and agents in tactical gear. The video ends with a direct prompt to visit Join ICE Gov, while the forecast caption suggests a harsher winter for immigration enforcement. The use of a relatively obscure song by a lesser known duo in this high profile government context underscores concerns about how widely recognized music is appropriated to shape public perception without consent.
Joey Valence stated he and Brae are seeking removal of the video and pressed that it does not reflect their beliefs. The episode has amplified ongoing debates about consent and compensation in music licensing for political content and raised questions about where lines should be drawn when public messaging intersects with art. ICE and DHS had not yet commented at press time, leaving a growing chorus of artists and fans to call for greater accountability and clearer licensing practices.