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By Billal Rahman
Immigration Reporter
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The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has compared apprehending migrants to catching Pokémon.
On Monday, DHS shared a video on X with the caption, "Gotta Catch 'Em All," the slogan widely associated with the animated series.
The video features clips that appear to show raids and arrests, edited together with footage from the animated series' opening sequence.
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The Pokémon Company International told Newsweek: "We are aware of a recent video posted by the Department of Homeland Security that includes imagery and language associated with our brand. 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."
Why It Matters
President Donald Trump's administration is carrying out plans to remove millions of undocumented immigrants as part of what critics describe as an aggressive deportation policy. DHS has touted several arrests of migrants with criminal records on social media.
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What To Know
In the X posts, the Pokémon theme song plays in the background, and the DHS name is styled in the same font as the show's title. One scene includes what appears to be a door being blown open during an operation.
The video ends with Pokémon-style cards displaying the mugshots of people apprehended by immigration agents.
One image depicts a mock trading card created by DHS, featuring the mugshot of a man identified as Lorenzo Menendez-Gonzalez alongside the Cuban flag. The card labels him as having been convicted of homicide in Austin, Texas, for which he was sentenced to 25 years in prison. The design mimics a collectible game card format, including the slogan "Gotta catch 'em all!" and DHS branding.
Another image shows further mock trading card, featuring the mugshot of a man identified as Moises Lopez-Zepeda with the Mexican flag in the background. The card states that he was convicted of intoxicated manslaughter with a vehicle in Rockwall County, Texas, and sentenced to 12 years in prison.
The video also features the mugshot of a man identified as Nery Garcia Linares against the backdrop of the Guatemalan flag. According to the DHS video he was convicted in Trenton, New Jersey, of endangering the welfare of a 4-year-old child through sexual conduct and sentenced to three years in prison.
DHS also shared a GIF of Pikachu with the caption that reads "Border Patrol's newest recruit."
The agency has faced some online backlash over posting a video likening migrant apprehensions to Pokémon, sparking both ethical and legal concerns. Critics argued that DHS's use of Pokémon's slogan, the franchise's theme song, and the distinctive visual style of the game's trading cards may constitute copyright infringement. Social media users questioned whether a federal agency could legally appropriate a popular entertainment brand for its own messaging.
What People Are Saying
The Pokémon Company International told Newsweek: "We are aware of a recent video posted by the Department of Homeland Security that includes imagery and language associated with our brand. 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."
Aaron Reichlin-Melnick, a senior fellow at the American Immigration Council, wrote in a post on X: "The door DHS shows being blown in, a few seconds into this video, was at a home where multiple U.S. citizens lived. They were never shown a warrant and were handcuffed and led out the shattered door into the light of the fleet of cameras [Homeland Security Secretary] Kristi Noem brought to the raid for PR."
This is a breaking news story and will be updated as more information becomes available.
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