PIKACHU PIRACY

Pokémon Torches DHS Over ‘Gotta Catch ‘Em All’ ICE Raid Stunt

Pokémon says it did not give permission to Homeland Security for the social posts.

Pokémon has revealed that the Department of Homeland Security used its branding without permission in its “Gotta Catch ’Em All” ICE raid deportation campaign.

DHS triggered a culture-war firestorm after posting a Pokémon-themed montage of immigration raids—set to the franchise’s famous theme and capped with mock “cards” for arrestees—on Monday.

The stunt includes a video clip from a raid attended by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem where U.S. citizens were cuffed outside a shattered door—footage critics say should never have been turned into content, and could land Noem in legal trouble.

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In the post on X, DHS captioned the package “Gotta Catch ’Em All,” and Customs and Border Protection even piled on with a gif of a dancing Pikachu, the yellow, mouse-like mascot of the globally popular franchise.

The campaign mirrored the anime’s opening sequence and card-game tropes, right down to listing “weakness” as the ICE emoji and “retreat” as an airplane.

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Now the company behind the global kids’ brand is crying foul.

A spokesman for the Pokémon Company International told the Daily Beast, “We are aware of a recent video posted by the Department of Homeland Security that includes imagery and language associated with our brand.

“Our company was not involved in the creation or distribution of this content, and permission was not granted for the use of our intellectual property.”

It comes a day after comedian Theo Von also took umbrage at DHS using one of his self-filmed social media videos to boast about the number of people it had deported.

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Fans of the anime cartoon have demanded the Pokémon Company International—of which Nintendo is a major co-owner and platform holder—sue DHS over the flagrant abuse of its intellectual property.

However, Don McGowan, Pokémon’s former chief legal officer, told the gaming website IGN that he “wouldn’t touch this,” predicting it would “blow over in a couple of days,” citing the company’s aversion to publicity and noting “many of their execs in the USA are on green cards.”

When asked by the Beast whether it intended to take legal action against the Donald Trump administration over the piracy, the Pokémon Company International declined to comment.

At the time of publication, the DHS video remained online.

DHS is beginning to get a reputation for riding roughshod over IP in its attempt to promote its immigration blitz.

On Tuesday, Von—who the Trump world credits with helping expand the campaign’s youth reach—blasted the department for splicing his video into the propaganda edit without sign-off.

“Yooo DHS i didnt approve to be used in this. I know you know my address so send a check,” he posted on X, later adding, “When it comes to immigration my thoughts and heart are alot more nuanced than this video allows. Bye!”

The DHS edit also brags about deportation tallies—“400,000 deported” and “1.6 million” voluntary self-departures—since Trump took office.

In August, DHS christened an Indiana detention facility the “Speedway Slammer,” prompting the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and IndyCar to distance themselves from the branding and request their imagery not be used.

The Daily Beast has contacted DHS for comment.

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Tom LatchemLead Global Correspondent

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