A U.S. Department of Homeland Security account affiliated with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) used Addison Rae’s 2024 hit “Diet Pepsi” without authorization in a recruitment-style promotional video posted on social media Thursday (April 10), prompting a swift copyright claim that disabled the audio and led to the post’s removal.
The video, which appeared primarily on X (formerly Twitter) and was also referenced on Facebook, featured a stylized montage of ICE agents set to the upbeat pop track. It carried a caption along the lines of “ICE is HOT. JOIN.” and included a call to apply for positions with the agency.
Shortly after the post went live, the rights holders for “Diet Pepsi” — likely through Rae’s label, publisher or the platform’s automated detection system — filed a claim. The media was subsequently disabled with the standard notice: “This media has been disabled in response to a report by the copyright owner.” The full post was later taken down on X.
“Diet Pepsi,” released in August 2024 via Columbia Records as the lead single from Rae’s debut studio album Addison, is a flirtatious, summery pop track about young attraction and romance. The song’s light, playful vibe — complete with lyrics using soda as a cheeky metaphor — created an immediate ironic contrast with the serious nature of immigration enforcement, helping fuel its rapid spread as a viral topic online.
As of Friday morning, neither Rae nor her representatives, Columbia Records, nor DHS or ICE had issued a public statement on the matter.
The incident is not believed to involve a formal lawsuit filed in federal court. Instead, it reflects standard music copyright enforcement on social platforms, where labels and publishers routinely protect their catalogs from unauthorized use in promotional content — including by government entities. Artists and their teams are not required to intervene personally; automated systems and routine claims often handle such matters quickly to avoid setting precedents.
The story quickly generated widespread memes and commentary across X, Instagram, TikTok and Reddit, with users highlighting the mismatch between the song’s bubbly energy and ICE’s recruitment efforts. Some posts jokingly framed the situation as “Addison Rae vs. the Feds,” while others drew comparisons to past instances in which major artists’ music has been pulled from political or official videos without clearance.
Rae, who first rose to fame on TikTok before transitioning into music and acting, scored one of her biggest solo successes with “Diet Pepsi,” which became a streaming hit and helped establish her as a pop artist. The track remains available on all major platforms and has not been impacted by the claim.
Similar copyright disputes have occurred in recent years involving other high-profile acts whose songs were used in unauthorized promotional or political contexts, underscoring the music industry’s consistent approach to licensing requirements for sync usage on social media. Government agencies are not exempt from those rules.
The original ICE/DHS post is no longer active in its intended form. Should additional statements or developments emerge, Billboard will provide updates.
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