DHS shares Christmas-themed deportation memes

• The DHS and White House have received legal threats and backlash from celebrities and companies for using their intellectual property in deportation-related videos.
• "DHS will continue using every tool at its disposal to keep the American people informed as our agents work to Make America Safe Again," department spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said. The White House did not provide further comment.

Driving the news: "You're going ho ho home," a Friday X post said, coupled with AI-generated or edited photos of law enforcement officers wearing Santa Claus hats and multicolored lights on tanks and a police shield, which also reads "Merry Christmas."

• Another DHS post featured a fake video of Trump steering Santa's sleigh.

What they're saying: "It's deeply troubling to see AI-generated images paired with a Christmas message to advance anti-immigrant rhetoric. Using this holy season in such a way is not only abhorrent but antithetical to everything that Advent and Christmas stand for," said Jeremy Weitz, a spokesperson for the Catholic Legal Immigration Network.

• "The Christmas season is a time when we honor the Holy Family who themselves were migrants seeking safety."
• "What is actually happening with Homeland Security right now when they're publishing memes instead of critical information for Americans?" said Andrea Flores, a former DHS official and immigration adviser to former President Biden.
• "It's consistent in its cruelty and in making fun of the millions of people who use our immigration system," she added.

Zoom out: California Gov. Gavin Newsom's office shared a Bible verse in response to the DHS photo: "I was a stranger and you welcomed me," from the Gospel of Matthew.

• Pope Leo has called for "deep reflection" on the treatment of migrants in the U.S. He, like Newsom, cited Matthew 25.
• "Jesus says very clearly that at the end of the world, we're going to be asked, you know, 'How did you receive the foreigner? Did you receive him and welcome him or not?' And I think that there's a deep reflection that needs to be made in terms of what's happening" with immigrants in the United States today, the pope said in November.

What we're watching: During a Dec. 2 Cabinet meeting, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem previewed more deportations ahead of the holidays.

• "People that were here illegally, you've removed from our country and sent home," she told Trump. "And we're going to send more home for the holidays too and make sure that they get to be with their families in their countries."
• "The focus is the bad ones," Trump responded, "and there are a lot of them."
• On Dec. 1, DHS promoted what it called a "holiday deal" and "fantastic gift" for undocumented immigrants who self-deport — a free flight and $1,000.
• DHS also posted, "Merry Christmas" and encouraged people to report undocumented immigrants.

Go deeper:

• "Evil and disgusting": Sabrina Carpenter rakes White House for ICE video with her song
• Trump turns migrants into memes to promote deportation agenda

Editor's note: This story has been updated with a comment from Andrea Flores.