When even a comedian known for leaning right calls you out, you know you’ve crossed a line. That’s exactly what happened when podcaster Theo Von publicly slammed the Department of Homeland Security for using one of his clips—without permission—in a pro-deportation video.
The DHS video, bluntly titled “Bye,” opened with a snippet of Von saying, “Heard you got deported, dude. Bye.” The problem? Von never agreed to be part of it. In a sharp response on X (formerly Twitter), he wrote: “Yooo DHS I didn’t approve to be used in this. I know you know my address so send a check. 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!”
Von’s pushback isn’t just about personal boundaries—it’s part of a bigger, ongoing clash over how government agencies use copyrighted material to push political agendas. This isn’t the first time it’s happened. Earlier this year, JAY-Z forced ICE to remove a propaganda video that used his 2003 track “Public Service Announcement” without authorization. And just days ago, the White House posted a TikTok of ICE arrests set to the Pokémon theme song—yes, really.
The controversy here runs deeper than a single clip. Should government agencies be allowed to repurpose pop culture moments and celebrity content to promote policies—especially ones as divisive as mass deportation? Or does this cross a line into propaganda that misrepresents the creator’s actual stance?
What do you think—was Theo Von right to call them out, or is this just fair game in the age of viral media? Drop your thoughts below, because this one’s bound to split opinions.
