Radiohead Calls Out ICE for Misusing Their Song in a Video
Radiohead has expressed deep disappointment after discovering that their song “Let Down” was featured in a video by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) posted to the agency’s X account on February 18.
In a statement shared with *Billboard* on February 27, the band demanded that those responsible for the ICE social media account remove the content. “It ain’t funny, this song means a lot to us and other people, and you don’t get to appropriate it without a fight,” they stated.
Their message concluded with a blunt directive: “Also, go f–k yourselves.”
*Billboard* has reached out to the Department of Homeland Security for further comment.
The controversial ICE video opens with a black screen, accompanied by the third verse of “Let Down” from the band’s critically acclaimed album *OK Computer*. Images of American citizens appear sequentially as the agency captioned the video with the message: “American citizens raped and murdered by those who have no right to be in our country. This is who we fight for. This is our why.”
“Let Down” made its Billboard Hot 100 debut 28 years after its release, reaching No. 1 on the chart dated August 30, 2025. It marked the band’s fourth song to make an appearance on the Hot 100.
ICE has drawn significant criticism for its enforcement tactics, particularly under President Donald Trump’s directive to expel undocumented immigrants. In January, during operations in Minneapolis, ICE agents fatally shot two U.S. citizens: Renee Good, who was trying to drive away from the agents, and Alex Pretti, an ICU nurse attempting to assist a woman who had been injured.
Numerous artists have spoken out against ICE’s actions. Notable figures include Billie Eilish, Lady Gaga, Bad Bunny, Justin Bieber, Chappell Roan, Bruce Springsteen, Rage Against the Machine’s Tom Morello, and Kehlani. Following the fatalities, Morello organized a benefit concert in Minneapolis to support the victims’ families while protesting Trump’s immigration policies and advocating for “democracy and justice.” Springsteen, an outspoken critic of the administration, released a new anti-ICE song titled “Streets of Minneapolis” in January and launched the Land of Hope and Dreams tour in February “in defense of America.”
