On 18 February 2025, The White House took to social media with an appalling post that has left many in disbelief. The official X account released a video titled: “ASMR: Illegal Alien Deportation Flight.” The clip, which has left thousands of netizens in shock and disbelief, showed the disturbing reality of undocumented immigrants being shackled and loaded onto deportation flights.

ASMR: Illegal Alien Deportation Flight 🔊 pic.twitter.com/O6L1iYt9b4

— The White House (@WhiteHouse) February 18, 2025

This latest post follows last week’s Valentine’s Day controversy, wherein The White House Instagram account featured a distasteful rhyme that read: “Roses Are Red / Violets Are Blue / Come Here Illegally / And We’ll Deport You.” The post was a crude nod to the Trump administration’s ongoing mass deportations, which have left immigrant communities across the US living in constant fear of being torn from their families and homes.

Happy Valentine's Day ♥️ pic.twitter.com/6d7qmo7gtz

— The White House (@WhiteHouse) February 14, 2025

But this new post, which attempts to categorise real-life deportation as ASMR entertainment, takes the level of insensitivity to new heights. ASMR, for those unfamiliar, stands for Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response and represents the tingling sensation people often get from watching or listening to calming, soothing videos. These videos, often designed to help people relax or sleep, might feature sounds like crinkling paper, tapping, or soft-spoken role-plays. The White House, however, has redefined ASMR, utilising sounds of human beings being patted down, restrained, and walked in shackles, all under the guise of a “relaxing” experience.

@mimimasalaa

If you’re not being dramatic, you’re the problem #latinos #mexican #fyp

♬ original sound - Mimimasala

@thezenjenn

Dios no se queda con nada pero mientras tanto me duele el corazón 💔 #immigrant #immigration #latinostiktok #latinosunidos #deportation #immigrantlife

♬ original sound - Claire Boyer

The response to this post has been swift and overwhelmingly negative. While a few MAGA supporters, like Elon Musk who reposted the video with laughing emojis, backed the outrageous move, the majority of people were horrified by the blatant dehumanisation displayed. One user wrote: “The official White House is posting this acting like they don’t have a literal convicted felon and rapist sitting in the Oval Office. This is one of the most evil and saddest posts I’ve seen.”

“ASMR” Absolutely insane psychopaths leading this country. The official White House is posting this acting like they don’t have a literal convicted felon and rapist sitting in the Oval Office. This is one of the most evil and saddest posts I’ve seen https://t.co/cjGuMwPsGk

— jason 🦥 🪐 (@spongebobsloth) February 19, 2025

Another netizen added: “As a human being, seeing the official White House tweet ‘ASMR’ with a video of human beings being chained up is the most fucked up thing. Most of these people fled their country to look for a better life, more opportunity, and, yes, in some cases a chance to survive.”

As a human being, seeing the official White House tweet “ASMR” with a video of human beings being chained up is the most fucked up thing. Most of these people fled their country to look for a better life, more opportunity, and, yes, in some cases a chance to survive… https://t.co/JjghCNrhcZ

— steven bradley stan acct (@alec_pena1997) February 18, 2025

It’s hard to imagine how anyone could enjoy this so-called ASMR video. The images the White House has chosen to showcase almost reminds us of darker times in history—the colonial era when enslaved people were chained and paraded for the public’s twisted entertainment. There was a cruel satisfaction in witnessing the humiliation and suffering of a marginalised population.

Mass deportations don’t just threaten the undocumented; they also tear apart families, often sending US citizens—children and spouses—into uncertainty and trauma. Trump’s relentless push to end birthright citizenship could even lead to US citizens being taken away from their homes, despite their constitutional rights under the 14th Amendment.

The White House’s latest post isn’t just a bad joke, it’s a chilling reminder of the lengths to which the current administration is willing to go to degrade human beings for political gain. It’s time we called this what it is: a disturbing, dehumanising spectacle that has no place in any society that claims to value human dignity.