2025's big ad spender: The U.S. taxpayer
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Screenshot: U.S. Department of Homeland Security YouTube video.
The most expensive political ad campaign of the year is being run by the Department of Homeland Security.
Why it matters: DHS disputes that its ads are political. But it has spent at least $51 million this year on ads thanking President Trump for securing the border, according to AdImpact.
- The next closest ad campaign is the $41 million effort to support California's redistricting measure, according to AdImpact.
- The DHS ads promote Trump's mass deportation agenda in a series of direct-to-camera videos starring the face of the policy, Secretary Kristi Noem.
- They're part of a $200 million fast-tracked contract pushing self-deportation.
Zoom in: "[T]his isn't a political ad—this is a public service announcement urging illegal aliens to leave," Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement to Axios.
- "President Trump" is the most mentioned phrase across all the ads.
- Three ads say: "Thank you, President Donald J. Trump for securing our border and putting America first."
- Another says: "President Trump has a clear message for those that are in our country illegally. Leave now..."
By the numbers: The highest spending active political candidate is Democratic gubernatorial nominee Abigail Spanberger in Virginia, at roughly $35 million.
- Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) — part of DHS — has spent an additional $10 million on a recruitment ad campaign, airing nationally and in several big city media markets.
Zoom out: The ads are airing nationally on broadcast TV, online and in some local TV markets, according to the data reported to AdImpact. Some station owners have not reported all the ad spending.
- Fox News Channel is the largest host of DHS's ad buy, airing about $9 million worth of content.
- Morning shows like "Today," "CBS Morning" and "Good Morning America" saw the most program-specific spending.
- But in the last month, airings of the Mexican soccer league (Fútbol: Liga MX), Fox's The Five and Univison's Despierta America saw the most ads.
Digital ads over the last 90 days show DHS has been targeting users who like Mexican pop music, Latin music, the Mexican Grand Prix, Latin cuisine and the Mexican national soccer team, according to Meta's ad library data.
- The ads also target Spanish speakers, though the ads are in English with Spanish subtitles.
- On Google's platform, the most money to date has been spent on showing ads in California and Texas, but ads are running across the country.
Between the lines: The DHS ads are being made by People Who Think and Safe America Media, who will be paid up to $200 million, according to a contract justification form from the department.
- The companies won the contract in February, bypassing the usual bidding process. DHS cited a "unusual and compelling urgency" to quickly award the contract.
- People Who Think previously worked for Trump's 2016 presidential campaign and for Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry (R), who was also a client of Corey Lewandoski, the former Trump adviser who is now a temporary employee at DHS.
- Safe America Media formed its LLC just days before the contract award became public, as AP first reported.
Flashback: During the Biden administration, DHS took out a series of billboard ads in Texas that said someone "in immigration custody has rights."
- The ads cost $150,000, according to a former Biden administration official.
- The ads did not feature former President Biden or then-Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.
