ICE posts Halloween video using Michael Jackson’s ‘Thriller’ over images of movie monsters and detained immigrants

ICE posts Halloween video using Michael Jackson’s ‘Thriller’ over images of movie monsters and detained immigrants Video mocking mass detentions draws online criticism as agency ramps up enforcement actions before midterms - Bookmark - CommentsGo to comments Become an Independent member to bookmark this article Already a member? Log in Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s official social media accounts have posted a provocative Halloween-themed video pairing horror movie monsters with footage of immigrants being detained by federal agents. Set to Michael Jackson’s hit “Thriller,” the minute-long video opens with famous film villains, including Freddy Krueger, Jason Voorhees and Pennywise the clown before flashing a graphic reading “ICE’s Halloween Spooktacular,” teeing up macabre footage of immigrants being detained. The video cuts to footage of ICE arrests and enforcement operations, showing agents detaining people, escorting them away and taking them into holding facilities. Several clips show men sitting on the floor of a mass detention area with their faces in their hands. One shot features a man being escorted by masked officers with the caption “This guy was wanted for homicide.” The next image flashes the word “Seriously” across the screen. The video also throws in other Halloween imagery, including glowing jack-o’-lanterns and zombies followed by a cartoon of an ICE agent handcuffing a green alien. The video ends with an animated ICE officer holding a pair of handcuffs next to the words “Happy Halloween.” “Happy Halloween from your friends at ICE,” the agency captioned the post. The video sparked conflicting opinions in the comments, with ICE supporters calling it “pretty funny” while critics condemned the stunt as inhumane. “I don't celebrate Halloween, but I definitely like this video,” one supporter wrote on Facebook. “#F***ICE,” the comment right below it reads. Another person denounced the video on X, writing: “Man, I’m all for deporting illegal immigrants. But this is f****d up. Literally normalizing identifying South Americans as monsters. This is not the conduct of a mentally healthy government.” The Independent has requested comment from ICE and Jackson’s estate. President Donald Trump and his administration have frequently used provocative clip-based posts intended to “troll” critics and increase engagement across social network sites and other media outlets. The latest video comes as ICE faces heightened scrutiny over a reported increase in immigration enforcement activity across the country in the weeks leading up to November’s midterm elections. Cities and states including New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Illinois, Detroit and California have reported an uptick in federal immigration operations, according to recent reporting from NPR. Asked about the reported increase, a spokesperson for Homeland Security told NPR: “ICE agents uphold our nation’s immigration laws in all 50 states, seven days a week, 24 hours a day.” The rise in ICE activity also has raised concerns about how the operations could affect voters ahead of the midterms. Some civil rights advocates warn that high-profile raids could scare immigrant communities and discourage people from voting. In court filings this week, Department of Justice officials said there are no plans to deploy ICE agents to serve as poll monitors — but officers from the Drug Enforcement Administration and other federal law enforcement agencies that have participated in immigration operations will join Justice Department personnel across the country. They will not be armed, but for voters in Arlington County, Virginia, “these threats have already had serious impacts,” officials said in a recent lawsuit. “Threatening to send armed agents to polling stations is unlawful and contravenes the bedrock values of free and fair elections we hold dear in this country,” Arlington County Board Chair Matt de Ferranti said in a recent statement. Wendy Weiser of the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU Law School has said there is no sign that the enforcement activity has reduced voter participation, pointing to a surge in early voting among communities of color. “There was definitely a lot of apprehension and fear,” Wittner told NPR. “We just really weren’t sure if something huge was about to happen. People were not feeling very comfortable or safe.” Join our commenting forum Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies Comments