Radiohead Demands ICE Remove Video Using Band's Song

Rock band says U.S. immigration agency used 'Let Down' without permission in promotional video.

Published on Feb. 28, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

British rock band Radiohead has demanded that the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency take down a promotional video that used the band's song 'Let Down' without their permission. ICE posted the video last week, which featured a montage of victims of violence that the agency attributed to immigrants in the U.S. illegally. Radiohead said the song was used 'without a fight' and that the 'amateurs in control of the ICE social media account' must take it down.

Why it matters

Radiohead's demand highlights the ongoing tensions between the band and the Trump administration's hardline immigration policies enforced by ICE. The use of the band's song without permission also raises copyright and free speech concerns, as Radiohead has made clear the song 'means a lot to us and other people' and should not be appropriated by the government agency.

The details

In its statement, Radiohead said the version of 'Let Down' appeared as the soundtrack to the ICE video, which showed a montage of victims of violence that the agency attributed to immigrants in the U.S. illegally. The band said the song was used without their permission and demanded that ICE take down the video, stating 'it ain't funny' and that the agency does not 'get to appropriate it without a fight.'

  • ICE posted the video featuring Radiohead's song last week.

The players

Radiohead

A British rock band known for their socially conscious lyrics and opposition to the Trump administration's policies.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

The federal law enforcement agency responsible for immigration enforcement, whose tactics have been widely condemned by human rights advocates during the Trump administration's hardline immigration crackdown.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“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 (Reuters)

The takeaway

This incident highlights the ongoing tensions between the music industry and the Trump administration's immigration policies, as well as the broader concerns over the government's use of copyrighted material without permission and the chilling effect this can have on free speech and artistic expression.