US immigration authorities have sparked controversy with a festive-themed advertisement that recasts Santa Claus as an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent. The video forms part of a stark message urging individuals residing illegally in America to leave the country voluntarily.
A Festive Yet Firm Message from ICE
The holiday-inspired clip opens with a jolly figure in Santa's traditional red coat, hat, and white beard. However, the scene quickly shifts as he straps on a bulletproof vest and arms himself. The character, now bearing a prominent ICE logo on his chest, is shown arresting migrants on the street with the support of other officers.
The narrative follows 'Santa' processing an individual at a detention facility before escorting them onto a plane for deportation. The accompanying caption delivers a blunt ultimatum: "AVOID ICE AIR AND SANTA'S NAUGHTY LIST! Self-deport today with the CBP Home app, earn $3,000 and spend Christmas at home with loved ones."
The advertisement explicitly encourages those without legal status hiding in the United States to "avoid Santa's naughty list" by choosing to "self-deport today." The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) confirmed the holiday incentive, which includes a tripled financial stipend and a free flight home, is valid through the end of 2025.
The Policy Push Behind the Publicity Stunt
This aggressive marketing drive is linked to a significant policy shift. In March, the Trump administration rebranded an existing app as CBP Home, specifically to facilitate the process of self-deportation. This contrasts sharply with the app's prior use under the Biden administration, when it was known as CBP One and served to allow migrants to enter the US legally.
DHS Secretary Kristi Noem framed the offer starkly on Monday, stating, "Illegal aliens should take advantage of this gift and self-deport. If they don't, we will find them, we will arrest them, and they will never return." The department estimates the average cost to arrest, detain, and deport someone is approximately $17,000, making the $3,000 incentive a cost-saving measure.
President Trump, who took office in January pledging record deportations, has intensified immigration enforcement. While promising to remove one million immigrants annually, his administration has deported around 622,000 this year, including many who opted for self-deportation. However, insiders signal plans for a more aggressive crackdown in 2026, backed by substantial new funding.
Funding, Backlash, and Future Plans
A massive spending package passed by the Republican-controlled Congress in July provides ICE and Border Patrol with an additional $170 billion through September 2029. This dwarfs their existing annual budgets of roughly $19 billion. Officials plan to use these funds to hire thousands more agents, open new detention centres, and partner with private companies to track individuals.
Beyond enforcement, the administration has stripped temporary legal status from hundreds of thousands of Haitian, Venezuelan, and Afghan immigrants, vastly expanding the pool of people eligible for deportation. White House border czar Tom Homan asserted that Trump has delivered on his promise of a historic deportation operation. "I think you're going to see the numbers explode greatly next year," Homan said, confirming plans include more workplace raids.
Despite this, political backlash is growing. Recent local elections, including in Miami—a city heavily affected by the crackdown—suggest rising voter concern. Moderate Republican strategist Mike Madrid observed, "People are beginning to see this not as an immigration question anymore as much as it is a violation of rights... There is no question that is a problem for the president and Republicans." Polling reflects this shift, with Trump's approval rating on immigration policy falling from 50% in March to 41% in mid-December.
