The US Department of Homeland Security has sparked controversy by using imagery from South Park to promote Immigration and Customs Enforcement job opportunities on their official social media channels.
According to Variety, the department posted a still from a recent South Park trailer on their X account, directing followers to ICE’s website where applications are available for positions including deportation officer and criminal investigator.
The image originates from a teaser released on July 29th for the second episode of Season 27, which features ICE officers conducting what appears to be a raid in the fictional town of South Park. The trailer shows the character Mr. Mackey riding alongside ICE officers in a van, with the footage forming part of a promotional campaign that has already garnered over one million YouTube views.
This marketing decision becomes particularly notable given South Park’s recent aggressive targeting of Donald Trump in the season premiere. The July 27th episode included scenes of Trump begging for sex from Satan and featured a deepfake-assisted public service announcement showing the president stripping naked. The episode concluded with the provocative slogan: “Trump. His penis is teeny-tiny, but his love for us is large.”
The White House responded with a scathing statement following the premiere, dismissing the animated series as irrelevant. “This show hasn’t been relevant for over 20 years and is hanging on by a thread with uninspired ideas in a desperate attempt for attention,” the statement read. “President Trump has delivered on more promises in just six months than any other president in our country’s history – and no fourth-rate show can derail President Trump’s hot streak.”
Comedy Central has yet to respond to requests for comment regarding Homeland Security’s use of their content for recruitment purposes. The situation raises questions about the government agency’s awareness of the satirical context surrounding the imagery they’ve chosen to promote their services.
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The uncertainty extends to whether the ICE-related footage will actually appear in Wednesday’s episode. Series creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone frequently produce episodes just days before broadcast to maintain topical relevance, and they previously admitted that April’s Season 27 trailer contained footage created specifically for promotional purposes rather than actual episode content.
The second episode of South Park Season 27 airs Wednesday, August 6th on Comedy Central, with streaming available the following day on Paramount+.
