The Cure Files Takedown Request Against ICE Video Using “Friday I’m In Love”

ICE Forced to Remove The Cure’s Music from Social Media Campaign Following Copyright Claim

The Department of Homeland Security has removed The Cure’s hit song “Friday I’m In Love” from a controversial social media campaign following an official Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) takedown request.

The video in question, titled “Life After All Criminal Aliens Are Deported,” was posted across DHS channels on October 2. It featured an eclectic montage of seemingly unrelated footage, including clips of luxury cars, archival footage of Donald Trump from the 1980s, and excerpts from the cult television series “Twin Peaks,” all set to The Cure’s 1992 single.

Following the copyright claim, the video has been removed from the agency’s X (formerly Twitter) post and muted on Instagram, though as of reporting time, it remains available on Facebook with the original audio intact.

This incident marks the latest in a growing series of conflicts between U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and prominent figures in the music industry. The agency, which operates under the Department of Homeland Security and is responsible for immigration detention and deportation operations, has faced mounting criticism from artists and celebrities in recent months.

Just days ago, rising pop star Chappell Roan was told to “get a grip” by a Homeland Security official after she criticized ICE during a performance in California on October 10. Similarly, country artist Zach Bryan faced backlash from a White House spokesperson after sharing an unreleased song critical of the agency on social media.

“While Zach Bryan wants to Open The Gates to criminal illegal aliens and has Condemned heroic ICE officers, Something in the Orange tells me a majority of Americans disagree with him and support President Trump’s great American Revival,” the spokesperson stated, referencing titles of Bryan’s songs within the statement.

The controversy comes amid heightened immigration enforcement actions across the country. Earlier this summer, ICE conducted numerous workplace raids resulting in mass deportations, sparking large protests in Los Angeles that eventually led to President Donald Trump authorizing National Guard deployment in response.

The agency’s actions have prompted a wave of opposition from entertainment figures. Global superstar Bad Bunny witnessed an ICE raid in Puerto Rico in June and subsequently announced he would not perform in the United States during his world tour, citing concerns that ICE agents might target his audiences.

This decision has taken on new dimensions following Bad Bunny’s recent announcement as headliner for next year’s Super Bowl Halftime Show. Trump adviser Corey Lewandowski and U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem have publicly confirmed that ICE agents will be present at the Super Bowl, explicitly stating that undocumented immigrants attending the event “will not be safe.”

The pushback from the entertainment industry continues to grow. Hundreds of artists have joined an organized campaign calling for ICE’s abolition, while Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello recently curated and shared a playlist titled “Fuck ICE” in protest of the agency’s policies.

The Cure, whose music was utilized without permission in the ICE video, has not issued a public statement regarding the unauthorized use of their song. The British rock band is currently preparing for an extensive tour scheduled for 2026, with multiple festival appearances and concert dates planned across the UK and Europe.

The incident highlights the ongoing tensions between government agencies and cultural figures as immigration policy remains a divisive and contentious issue in American politics and society.