Probably the title says it all, and might not need much more explanation, but if you're wondering what this is about, the White House has unveiled its latest immigration-themed social media push: a parody of the beloved holiday film The Polar Express rebranded as "The Deportation Express."
On Tuesday, the official White House account on X shared a poster styled after the 2004 animated Christmas classic, but instead of the movie's iconic train, the image features a plane and the slogan: "Here illegally? The Deportation Express." The caption continues, "BELIEVE YOU CAN GO HOME! It doesn't matter where they're going. What matters is deciding to get on. CBP Home App to self-deport today!"
The post, intended to promote voluntary departure through a new immigration app, quickly sparked outrage. Many users condemned the parody as tone-deaf, especially during the holiday season and given the film's status as a family staple.
"Did they seriously just take a Polar Express train and slap on White House propaganda?" one user wrote. Another added: "Imagine posting this this close to Christmas." A third critic noted the bizarre juxtaposition: "Free flight home + $1,000 cash and they made it look like a Hallmark Christmas movie..."
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The meme is only the latest in a string of provocative online posts under the Trump administration's renewed immigration crackdown.
Last week, the White House became embroiled in a public feud with singer Sabrina Carpenter after using one of her songs in a video promoting deportations. Carpenter called the video "evil and disgusting" and demanded her music not be associated with the administration's policies.
Rather than retract the video, the White House escalated, releasing a second clip featuring edited audio appearing to endorse ICE raids and firing back on X:
"We won't apologize for deporting dangerous criminal illegal murderers, rapists, and pedophiles... Anyone who would defend these sick monsters must be stupid, or is it slow?"
The administration has defended its messaging as necessary to deter what it calls "criminal illegal aliens," even as ICE data shows that 75,000 of the 220,000 people arrested between January 20 and October 15 had no criminal record.
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