Rock band Radiohead urges US ICE to take down video using its song

By Kanishka Singh

WASHINGTON, Feb 27 (Reuters) - British rock band Radiohead said on Friday it wanted a promotional video for the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency that used their song to be taken down.

ICE, whose immigration enforcement tactics have been widely condemned by human rights advocates during President Donald Trump's hardline immigration crackdown, posted a video last week that used a version of Radiohead's song "Let Down."

"We demand that the amateurs in control of the ICE social media account take it down. It ain't funny, this song means a lot to us and other people, and you don't get to appropriate it without a fight," Radiohead said in a statement to media outlets.

ICE did not immediately respond to request for comment outside of business hours.

The song's version appeared as a soundtrack to the video that showed a montage of victims of violence that ICE attributed to immigrants who are in the U.S. illegally.

Radiohead said the song was used without the band's permission.

The Trump administration has used ICE in an immigration crackdown and deportation drive that has been condemned by human rights advocates, especially after the January fatal shootings of two U.S. citizens by federal agents in Minnesota. Many celebrities have also previously condemned ICE.

Rights groups say the crackdown has created a fearful environment for both citizens and immigrants, especially for minority groups.

Around the country, at least eight people have died in ICE detention centers since the start of 2026, following at least 31 deaths last year.

Rights advocates have also raised free speech and due process concerns in ICE's detention and attempted deportations of pro-Palestinian foreign protesters who opposed U.S. ally Israel's assault on Gaza.

Trump has cast his crackdown as aiming to curb illegal immigration and improve domestic security.

(Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Washington; Editing by Sam Holmes)