WH responds after SZA slammed them for using her song in ICE video, calling the ad 'evil n boring'

WASHINGTON, DC: The White House responded to a criticism from SZA after she publicly denounced the administration’s use of her song in a promotional video for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), calling the ad “evil n boring.”

The controversy began earlier this week when the White House shared a social media post promoting ICE that included SZA’s song 'Big Boy.' The track originally featured in a 2022 'Saturday Night Live' sketch but was posted without the artist’s consent, prompting a strong reaction from the singer on X.

The post from the official White House account showed ICE agents arresting immigrants, paired with the caption, “WE HEARD IT’S CUFFING SZN. ⛓️ / Bad news for criminal illegal aliens. Great news for America.” The combination of the imagery and the playful lyric reference quickly drew criticism online.

White House thanks SZA for drawing attention to ICE officers’ work

In a statement to Variety, White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson defended the video and the work of ICE. She addressed SZA directly, saying, “Thank you, SZA, for drawing even more attention to the tremendous work America’s ICE officers are doing by arresting dangerous criminal illegal aliens from American communities.”

Jackson’s comment signaled that the administration had no intention of backing down from the post’s message, despite the blowback from the artist and her fans.

SZA slams White House for using her music

On Wednesday, December 10, SZA publicly objected to the use of her music, accusing the White House of exploiting artists for political gain.

“White House rage baiting artists for free promo is PEAK DARK … inhumanity + shock and aw tactics,” she wrote on X, summing up her feelings with, “Evil n Boring.”

Her manager, Punch, echoed her frustration. “Trying to provoke artists to respond in order to help spread propaganda and political agendas is nasty business. Knock it off,” he wrote on X.

The administration’s video, which showcased ICE agents arresting immigrants, relied on the “cuffing season” pop-culture reference while promoting enforcement policy — a pairing that provoked strong reactions beyond SZA’s own.

Growing trend of artist backlash on ICE videos

SZA is the latest in a series of artists pushing back on their music being used in connection with ICE-related messaging. Just last week, Sabrina Carpenter criticized the administration for using her hit song “Juno” in a video montage of ICE raids.

“This video is evil and disgusting. Do not ever involve me or my music to benefit your inhumane agenda,” Carpenter wrote on social media. After the uproar, the White House removed the original post but replaced it with a different video using footage of Carpenter from an SNL commercial, overdubbing the audio to make a joke referring to cast member Marcello Hernández as “illegal” instead of “hot.” 

The string of objections reflects a broader trend of artists distancing themselves from political messaging, particularly in content tied to immigration enforcement.