In a highly unconventional move, the Trump administration has released a Christmas-themed video featuring an artificial intelligence-generated Santa Claus working as an agent for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
A Festive Yet Controversial Enforcement Campaign
The video, posted on Tuesday 23 December 2025, depicts a stern-looking Father Christmas figure. While he wears the traditional red suit and sports a white beard, the ICE logo is prominently displayed across his chest. The AI character is shown wearing a bulletproof vest, carrying weapons, and participating in immigration enforcement activities.
The narrative follows this unusual Santa as he detains migrants on a street with other officers, processes an individual at a facility, and ultimately escorts him onto a plane for deportation. The central message urges undocumented immigrants to "avoid Santa's naughty list" by leaving the United States voluntarily.
Financial Incentives and App-Based Process
The campaign promotes the use of the CBP One app for self-deportation. This is the same application the prior Biden administration used to allow migrants to enter the country legally. A caption accompanying the video states that participants who choose to leave voluntarily will receive $3,000 and a free flight to their home country.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) confirmed this financial incentive has been tripled for the holiday period. The offer is available until the end of 2025 and is targeted at people residing in the country without legal authorisation.
This video is part of a broader DHS strategy to encourage voluntary departures as an alternative to formal enforcement actions and arrests. It follows a previous social media campaign from weeks earlier, titled "YOU'RE GOING HO HO HOME," which featured real ICE agents adorned with holiday decorations.
Escalating Social Media Strategy for Deportation Agenda
The holiday-themed clip represents the latest in a series of provocative social media posts from DHS and immigration agencies designed to promote President Donald Trump's mass deportation agenda. Throughout the year, these agencies have employed memes, popular trends, and nostalgic references to advance their message.
Following the initial image campaign, DHS shared a GIF of President Trump performing his signature dance move, superimposed onto Santa's sleigh. These efforts have consistently drawn protests and significant backlash from critics who argue they trivialise a serious and often traumatic process.
Despite the controversy, the administration continues to leverage digital platforms to push its immigration policies, using AI technology and holiday iconography in an unprecedented manner to capture public attention and drive its enforcement objectives.
