A White House video showcasing the deportation of immigrants has triggered a wave of criticism across social media. The video, posted on the official White House X (formerly Twitter) account, featured detained migrants being processed for deportation – set to the soundtrack of the UK pop group Bananarama’s 1983 hit ‘Na Na Hey Hey (Kiss Him Goodbye)’.
The footage shows individuals lined up and escorted, with the caption playing off the song’s lyrics: “Na na na na, na na na na, hey hey, goodbye.”
The tone of the post – seemingly celebratory – has prompted a barrage of condemnation online, with many accusing President Donald Trump’s administration of dehumanising vulnerable people.
🎶”Na na na na, na na na na, hey hey, goodbye” @CBP pic.twitter.com/4bcfAxy2gz
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) April 6, 2025
“This is ghoulish behaviour. Sociopathic. Shame on you,” wrote one user. Another added, “It would be great if you guys stopped with the dehumanising posts! It’s disgusting.”
“This isn’t policy. This is state-sponsored dehumanisation – with a soundtrack. Weaponising suffering. Mocking lives torn apart. Celebrating cruelty like it’s a game show. This is how fascism talks when it thinks no one can stop it. We see you. And we will stop you,” wrote another.
According to an official statement from the White House, in March, the US Border Patrol encountered just 7,181 illegal immigrants at the southern border compared to the same month under former President Joe Biden – a 95 per cent decrease from 2024 (137,473), a 96 per cent decrease from 2023 (163,672), and a 97 per cent decrease from 2022 (211,181).
This is not the first time that the White House has released a video with pop songs playing in the background. Last month, a similar deportation video featuring the band Semisonic’s ‘Closing Time’ sparked controversy. The band, which was nominated for a Grammy for the 1998 song, said the White House had used the song without permission and had entirely misunderstood its meaning.
