Radiohead demands ICE remove their song "Let Down" from a promo video, condemning the agency's unauthorized use in a fiery statement.
- March 12, 2026
AceShowbiz - The iconic British band Radiohead has publicly condemned U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) after the agency used their song "Let Down" in a promotional video on social media without the band's consent.
In a strong joint statement released Friday, the members of Radiohead expressed their outrage, telling ICE to "go f--k yourselves" and demanding the immediate removal of the video. The band emphasized that the song holds deep significance for them and many others, and warned against unauthorized appropriation.
"We demand that the amateurs in control of the ICE social media account take it down," the statement said. "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."
"Let Down" originally appeared on Radiohead's third studio album, OK Computer. The statement was jointly shared by band members Ed O'Brien, Thom Yorke, Colin Greenwood, Philip Selway, and Jonny Greenwood, the latter of whom is currently an Oscar nominee. A spokesperson for the band clarified that ICE used the song without permission.
The controversial video is currently pinned on ICE's official X (formerly Twitter) account and includes the caption: "This is who we fight for. This is our why." The clip is intended to highlight families affected by crimes allegedly committed by illegal immigrants, framing ICE's mission as a fight for American citizens.
ICE's post reads: "Thousands of American families have been torn apart because of criminal illegal alien violence. 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."
This incident is reminiscent of a previous controversy involving Jonny Greenwood, who is nominated for Best Original Score at the upcoming Academy Awards for his work on Paul Thomas Anderson's film One Battle After Another. Earlier this year, Greenwood and Anderson formally requested that Greenwood's Oscar-nominated score from their earlier collaboration, Phantom Thread, be removed from Brett Ratner’s documentary Melania, which received critical backlash. That request was made due to the unauthorized use of Greenwood’s music in the documentary about former First Lady Melania Trump.
The use of music without artist consent has been a recurring issue during the Trump administration. Pop artists such as Olivia Rodrigo and Sabrina Carpenter have previously demanded that the White House and ICE cease using their songs in government videos. Singer SZA also accused the White House of deliberately "rage baiting artists for free promo."
Sabrina Carpenter was particularly vocal in December after her song "Juno" appeared in a video depicting ICE arresting immigrants. She called the video "evil and disgusting" and condemned the use of her music to support what she described as an inhumane agenda. The video was subsequently removed.
"This video is evil and disgusting. Do not ever involve me or my music to benefit your inhumane agenda," Carpenter tweeted on December 2, 2025.
Many artists have used their platforms to speak out against ICE's policies and actions. The agency's controversial role was a prominent topic during this year's Grammy Awards, where performers like Bad Bunny, Billie Eilish, and Olivia Dean acknowledged immigrants and criticized ICE.
During the Grammys, Bad Bunny declared, "Before I say thanks to God, I'm going to say: ICE OUT. We're not savage. We're not animals. We're not aliens. We are humans and we are Americans."
The ongoing disputes highlight the tension between artists and government agencies over the unauthorized use of music, with Radiohead's latest statement reinforcing the refusal of musicians to have their work co-opted for political purposes without their explicit consent.