Ariana Grande asked the White House to stop using her music after her song "Bye" appeared in an ICE TikTok video [1].

The dispute highlights the tension between government agency social media strategies and the intellectual property rights of artists who oppose specific policy implementations. It also underscores the growing trend of celebrities using their platforms to protest government enforcement actions.

Grande said the use of her work in the video was "heinous nonsense" [2]. She said the content of the post was "barbaric, inhumane" [2]. The singer issued a direct request to the administration, stating, "Please Do Not Ever Use My Music" [1].

The video in question was produced by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), a federal agency under the Department of Homeland Security. While the White House oversees the general communications strategy of the administration, the specific use of the track occurred within a short-form video intended for social media engagement.

Grande did not provide further details regarding the specific content of the TikTok video, but her reaction suggests a fundamental disagreement with the agency's portrayal of its operations. The singer's demand for the removal of the audio serves as a public rebuke of the agency's digital outreach methods.

Representatives for the White House and ICE have not yet issued a formal response to the singer's request. The incident follows a pattern of artists withdrawing licensing permissions when their work is used to promote government initiatives they find objectionable.

“"Please Do Not Ever Use My Music"”

This conflict illustrates the legal and ethical complexities of 'fair use' and licensing when government agencies utilize pop culture to humanize or promote enforcement activities. By publicly distancing herself from the agency, Grande is leveraging her brand to signal opposition to ICE's practices, potentially prompting other artists to audit how their intellectual property is used by federal entities.