How ICE Makes Raids Go Viral
+ Life under a Clicktatorship, shopaganda, OnlyFans visas, 365 button breakdown, the White House press briefing polymarket bets, NYTV.live, and the wildest products at CES this year
For years, ICE’s public affairs was run like any other routine government communications shop. They posted public service announcements and news releases, mostly to their own website where very few Americans would ever see.
But since Trump’s second term, ICE has rapidly transformed itself into an influencer-style media machine, churning out non-stop viral videos of tactical operations and immigration raids.
ICE’s social media strategy and ability to dominate the internet has come to serve as a blueprint for other Trump administration agencies, and their relentless focus on dominating the internet is already reshaping public opinion on immigrants.
My former colleague Drew Harwell has been covering ICE’s social media blitz and he joined me on my podcast this week to discuss the inside information he uncovered about how ICE’s internet meme team operates, what their internal chat logs reveal about their approach to the internet, and a how this previously under the radar federal law enforcement became a deadly “influencer-style media machine.”
A little over a year ago I quit my job to go full time independent. The only reason I’m able to do the work I do— My bi-weekly videos, my Free Speech Friday series educating people on civil liberties, my work reporting on LGBTQ rights, my deep dive anaysis content, my tech policy and civil rights advocacy work, and so much more— is because of those of you who pay to support me on Substack.
I have ZERO ongoing brand partnerships or advertisers, I take ZERO in dark money funding, I have ZERO financial backers. Everything I make and my ability to remain a journalist is 100% funded by you.
I hope that if you like my work, you’ll renew your subscription or purchase a paid one and give me the opportunity to remain independent. 🙏
And, if you prefer not to subscribe on Substack btw, I’m also now on Patreon!!