The White House on Tuesday posted an ASMR (Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response) video featuring immigrants in shackles as they prepared to board a deportation flight from Seattle, drawing widespread criticism and concern.
The 41-second video, shared on X (formerly Twitter), depicted a man securing handcuffs and chains on several immigrants. Close-up shots showed shackled hands being linked together, feet bound in chains climbing stairs to an aircraft, and a detainee boarding the plane. The faces of the individuals were not visible in the footage.
The White House captioned the post “ASMR: Illegal Alien Deportation Flight,” a move that many perceived as an attempt to normalize or even trivialize the deportation process. ASMR, typically associated with calming sensations, is an internet phenomenon wherein people experience tingling sensations in response to specific sounds or visual stimuli.
Before the White House shared the video, it was originally posted by the Seattle office of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency under the caption “Removal Flight.” ICE’s post described the flight as part of the process of repatriating undocumented immigrants to their home countries. However, the White House version began with an additional scene, showing an officer rolling down the collar of a shackled detainee’s jacket or hooded sweatshirt.
Tech billionaire and X CEO Elon Musk, who was recently tapped by former President Donald Trump to lead an initiative aimed at slashing the federal workforce, reposted the White House’s video with the caption, “Haha Wow,” further intensifying the debate.
The video’s release coincides with growing outrage in India over the treatment of deported Indian nationals. Recently, some Indian deportees alleged they were kept in handcuffs and leg restraints throughout their journey and were only freed upon arrival in Amritsar on February 5.
Among them, a former serviceman recounted his distressing experience, claiming he was forced to trim his beard despite being a Sikh. He described perilous conditions faced while attempting to cross into the U.S., including encounters with crocodiles, snakes, and prolonged periods without food. Other deportees from Punjab have since shared similar harrowing experiences.
The White House’s decision to frame a deportation video within an ASMR context has drawn sharp rebuke from immigration advocates, human rights groups, and social media users alike, with critics condemning the administration’s approach as insensitive and dehumanizing.
As the controversy unfolds, questions continue to be raised about the treatment of deportees and the U.S. government’s messaging surrounding immigration enforcement.
