Taylor Lorenz’s Power User ICE Is Treating Immigration Raids Like Content
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Jan 7, 2026 Drew Harwell, a reporter at The Washington Post focusing on tech and media, discusses ICE's surprising transformation into a viral content creator under the Trump administration. He uncovers how ICE produces dramatic, influencer-style enforcement videos, uses selective storytelling to shape public perception, and employs Gen Z creators to amplify their messages. Drew reveals the ethical dilemmas of privatized content creation, including privacy concerns and creative strategies that risk normalizing dehumanizing rhetoric surrounding immigration.
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Agency Turned Influencer Machine
- ICE transformed from a routine public affairs shop into an influencer-style media machine under Trump 2.0.
- The shift prioritized nonstop viral videos of raids and tactical operations to reshape public opinion on immigration.
White House Pushed Agents To Film Raids
- Drew recounts internal chats showing the White House pushed ICE to film operations and supply clips for virality.
- Videographers were dispatched to shadow agents and pull the most clippable moments for social posts.
Videographers Shadowing Operations
- ICE embedded videographers in patrol vehicles to capture arrests and chases for social posting.
- Privacy and case integrity were deprioritized while faces and footage were posted unblurred to chase virality.