U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has released an artificial intelligence–generated video that portrays Santa Claus rounding up undocumented migrants, sparking strong reactions online. The holiday-themed video, shared on X late Monday, delivers a clear warning to migrants to leave the United States voluntarily or risk enforcement action during the festive season.
In the video, a muscular Santa Claus is shown wearing a red tactical vest marked with ICE insignia. The character is seen detaining an undocumented migrant on the street before escorting him to a federal processing facility. The clip then shows Santa loading the migrant onto an “ICE Air” plane, which is used for deportation flights.
ICE used the video to reinforce a wider message from the Department of Homeland Security aimed at encouraging voluntary departures. The agency accompanied the clip with a message urging migrants to avoid deportation flights and what it described as “Santa’s naughty list” by choosing to leave on their own.
The video follows an announcement by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem earlier the same day. She revealed a special financial incentive designed to encourage undocumented migrants to self-deport before the end of the year. Under the programme, migrants who voluntarily leave the country using official channels may receive a cash payment.
According to ICE, undocumented migrants who use the CBP Home app to self-deport are eligible to receive up to $3,000 and free travel. The incentive, branded as a “home for the holidays” offer, is intended to encourage migrants to return to their home countries and reunite with family members during the festive period.
Officials say voluntary self-deportation is significantly cheaper for the U.S. government than carrying out arrests, detention, and forced removals. The Trump administration previously introduced a similar scheme in May, offering a $1,000 bonus and travel assistance, noting that full enforcement actions can cost an average of $17,000 per person.
Government figures indicate that around 1.9 million undocumented migrants have voluntarily left the United States since President Donald Trump took office. ICE maintains that the use of digital campaigns and incentives is part of a broader strategy to reduce enforcement costs while increasing compliance with immigration laws.
The AI-generated Santa video has drawn criticism and debate on social media, with some users calling it inappropriate or insensitive, while others see it as a strong deterrent message. ICE has not commented further on the backlash, but the agency continues to promote voluntary departure as a preferred option ahead of increased enforcement efforts.