DHS Trolls Country Singer By Using His Song In Recruitment Ad

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has responded to country music star Zach Bryan’s recent criticism of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) — by using one of his own songs in a video promoting the very agency he attacked.

Bryan, 29, sparked political backlash after previewing a new, unreleased song on Instagram last week that criticized ICE raids and President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown. In the somber track, Bryan laments the fear and disruption caused by immigration enforcement actions and suggests that such policies are contributing to the “fading of the red, white and blue.”

But in a bold counter, the DHS used Bryan’s 2020 hit “Revival” in a recruitment-style video posted to its X (formerly Twitter) account on Tuesday. The video features Border Patrol and ICE agents carrying out operations — including detentions, raids, and tactical movements — all set to the rowdy chorus of Bryan’s song.

We’re having an All Night Revival pic.twitter.com/o7q8DExPra

— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) October 7, 2025

“We’re havin’ an all-night revival,” DHS wrote in its caption, quoting the song’s lyrics.

A Musical Clash Becomes Political Ammo

The video, which some have described as a “searing troll,” pairs Bryan’s gritty lyrics with visuals of ICE agents leading individuals into detention vans and patrolling neighborhoods. One shot shows officials wearing gas masks, adding a cinematic tone to the montage.

The lyrics of the featured song include:

“Lord, forgive us, my boys and me / We’re havin’ an all-night revival / Someone call the women and someone steal the Bible / For the sake of my survival / Baptize me in a bottle of Beam, put Johnny on the vinyl.”

While the track “Revival” is not political in nature, its use by DHS is widely seen as a rebuttal to Bryan’s recent release, which specifically took aim at the agency:

“And ICE is gonna come, bust down your door / Try to build a house no one builds no more / The kids are all scared and all alone… / I got some bad news / The fading of the red, white and blue.”

Reaction from the Right — and DHS

Following the song’s release, Bryan faced sharp criticism from some conservative voices. One viral post on X read:

“No-name country artist Zach Bryan slams ICE for deporting criminal illegal immigrants. It’s a stretch calling him an ‘artist’ — he has no talent!”

Another user suggested that Bryan’s criticism could jeopardize his place in the country music world:

“Looks like someone doesn’t want a career in country music anymore. Y’all know what to do.”

A DHS spokesperson, Tricia McLaughlin, also weighed in with a curt swipe:

“Stick to Pink Skies, dude,” she told TIME, referencing one of Bryan’s recent chart-toppers.

A Tense Cultural Moment for Bryan

The controversy comes on the heels of one of the biggest moments in Bryan’s music career. Just days before releasing the politically tinged lyrics, he set a new record for the largest ticketed concert in U.S. history, drawing 112,408 fans to Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, according to TIME.

Bryan, a Navy veteran who was born on a U.S. military base in Japan, has generally avoided overt political themes in his music — making this recent foray into immigration commentary all the more attention-grabbing.

As of Wednesday morning, Bryan has not publicly responded to the DHS’s use of his music or the backlash that followed.

Bigger Picture: Artists, Government, and Message Wars

This episode is the latest example of the increasingly complicated intersection of pop culture and politics. Artists have often clashed with government agencies over the unauthorized use of their music — but rarely has a federal agency used an artist’s own work to directly counter that same artist’s political message.

For Bryan, it marks a new chapter in how his music — and message — is being interpreted and repurposed far beyond the stage.

Whether the artist chooses to double down or step back remains to be seen.

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