Ariana Grande tells the White House not to use her song for ICE arrests.

By Mary Agbabiaka

Grammy‑winning singer Ariana Grande has criticised the White House for using her hit song “Bye” in a social‑media video that promoted immigration arrests, demanding that her music not be linked to what she described as “barbaric, inhumane, heinous nonsense.”

The controversy began after the White House posted a video on its social‑media channels showing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers arresting people identified as alleged illegal migrants. The footage included scenes of handcuffing, detainee transportation and processing at detention centres, with a clip from Grande’s song “Bye” playing and the caption: “Bye‑bye… President Trump has delivered the most secure border in history.”

In the video’s comment section, Grande wrote, “Please do not use my music in relation to this barbaric, inhumane, heinous nonsense.” The comment was later removed, but her objection quickly attracted public attention.

The White House rejected the singer’s criticism. Spokesperson Abigail Jackson defended the administration’s immigration policies, saying, “What’s actually barbaric, inhumane, and heinous are the criminal illegal aliens who have injured and murdered innocent American citizens.”

After Grande’s objection, the White House muted the video’s audio, though the clip remained online.

Grande joins a growing list of artists who have publicly opposed the Trump administration’s use of their music. In 2025, Sabrina Carpenter asked the White House to exclude her work from what she called the president’s “inhumane” agenda. Other acts, including ABBA, Céline Dion and Beyoncé, have also raised similar concerns.

The singer has been a vocal critic of the administration in the past. Last year, she questioned Trump’s supporters online, asking whether the president’s policies had improved their daily lives.

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