Country music star Zach Bryan has been criticised by the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) over lyrics in an unreleased song that reference immigration raids by ICE. The DHS assistant secretary of public affairs, Tricia McLaughlin, told Bryan to 'stick to Pink Skies, dude', referring to one of his previous hits.
The DHS also posted a video on X, setting Bryan's song 'Revival' to footage of ICE officers arresting migrants, with the caption 'we're having an All Night Revival'. The response comes after Bryan shared a snippet of a new song on social media, featuring lyrics about scared children and ICE raids.
Bryan, 29, a former US Navy serviceman, defended the song on Instagram, stating it is about his love for the country and urging unity. 'When you hear the rest of the song, you will understand the full context that hits on both sides of the aisle,' he wrote. 'Left wing or right wing we're all one bird and American.'
The song, reportedly titled 'The Fading of the Red White and Blue', also laments societal division, with lyrics including 'The middle fingers rising and it won't stop showing'. Bryan has sold out stadiums and broken attendance records, including a recent concert with 112,408 attendees.
