Users Vow to Boycott Spotify After Streamer Runs ICE Recruitment Ad

[Thiệu Ngô]

Spotify users have begun canceling their subscriptions over advertisements by the U.S. government seeking to recruit immigration enforcement agents.

By Dan Gooding

The ads urge listeners to “join the mission to protect America” by becoming U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, but users of the music streaming giant have taken to social media and Spotify’s website to complain, and announce their withdrawal from the audio platform.

"Consumer boycotts are a staple of American politics, starting with the Boston Tea Party up to today’s boycotts of Coors, Disney, Target, Chick-fil-A, Walmart, etc.," Lucy Atkinson, associate professor at the Moody College of Communication at The University of Texas at Austin, told Newsweek.

"For consumers, boycotts can be an appealing form of civic engagement from both sides of the political spectrum. And yet the efficacy of a boycott remains uncertain."

Spotify told Newsweek that the ads were part of a broad campaign by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), adding that users were free to thumbs-up or thumbs-down ads in the app. The DHS told Newsweek that its recruitment campaign was a resounding success.

Why It Matters

While federal government agencies are permitted to advertise, they are meant to stick to a strict set of rules determining the type of messaging allowed. Congress does allow DHS to run spots that outline immigration policies and advertise jobs, but the responses to the tone of the ads show the polarizing effect of immigration policies under the administration of President Donald Trump.

Is Spotify Running ICE Recruitment Ads? What We Know

Reports began emerging at the end of last week that Spotify users who receive ads were hearing spots from ICE calling for new recruits amid their music.

“I get an ad and it starts with, ‘millions of dangerous illegals are rampaging the streets. Join ICE today,'” TikTok user miss.mia777 posted. “I don’t pick up my phone while driving. I picked up my phone with a quickness and deleted the app.”

The young woman was not alone, with others taking to Reddit and TikTok to express their dismay at the ads. Recordings of the audio in the Spotify app were also shared on X, which included a clip of a male voice-over explaining the benefits new recruits could receive, including a $50,000 signing bonus.

Spotify is not alone in running the ads for ICE. HBO and YouTube are among the other platforms to have run recruitment spots, while DHS itself has posted consistently to its social media channels promoting the roles, with similar wording around protecting America and/or "defending the homeland."

The U.S. government does have a long history of running ads, including for recruitment stretching back over a century, Atkinson explained.

"Perhaps the most memorable advertising product was the Uncle Sam 'I want you for the US Army' poster," Atkinson said of a campaign adapted in part by today's DHS. "The campaigns were very successful at bolstering support for the war and encouraging recruitment.

"But after the war ended, Americans started to question whether the advertising had gone too far and if it was too effective at engendering animosity for the enemy, at fostering excessive patriotism and at encouraging violation of civil liberties."

The associate professor said that while it was difficult to know exact amounts, the federal government spent roughly $1.8 billion on advertising in 2023, more than double what it spent in 2018. Much of it was spent by the Department of Defense, but DHS spending has been growing, with a projected $380 million budget this year.

Why Are People Boycotting Spotify?

As the reports spread, some Spotify users headed to the company’s own website to raise concerns.

“Is Spotify running advertising for ICE or Border patrol recruitment? If I see 1 ad for such nonsense, I will be cancelling my Spotify accounts and will encourage all others to do the same,” one user posted on Spotify’s community forum.

Other free users confirmed they had heard the ads, with paying subscribers saying they would cancel their account as well, in solidarity.

“I am also canceling my subscription. Ludicrous that anyone is posting ads for ICE. What a shame that ethics have tanked,” Spotify Community member “FuzzyGanesh” posted.

It was not immediately clear how many people were choosing to leave Spotify as a result of the DHS ads, but Newsweek witnessed multiple posts on social media and on the company’s forum suggesting a notable impact.

What Is ICE Responsible For?

The outrage appeared directed both toward Spotify and the agency advertising on the platform: ICE.

Falling under DHS, ICE enforces immigration law within the U.S., and has become the defining agency of the Trump administration’s crackdown on illegal immigration.

While agents have been praised by officials and many Republicans for carrying out their roles to detain and deport immigrants without legal status, the agency has also been heavily criticized for the manner in which agents have conducted themselves, and for what Democrats have framed as a lack of oversight of officers.

Under Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act, ICE has received a large funding boost, affording it the opportunity to expand and hire thousands of new agents. Recruitment fairs have been held, with hiring bonuses and student loan payoffs included in the offer package.

What People Are Saying

A spokesperson for Spotify told Newsweek: “This advertisement is part of a broad campaign the US government is running across television, streaming, and online channels. The content does not violate our advertising policies. However, users can mark any ad with a thumbs-up or thumbs-down to help manage their ads preferences.“

Atkinson, in her comments to Newsweek on the boycott: "Part of the problem is that it’s hard to measure the success of a boycott. Oftentimes, it’s about generating media and public attention. The other challenge is that boycotts can be hard to sustain. Consumers often lose interest or it stops becoming a primary focus.

"In the Spotify case, it will depend on how sustained the calls for a boycott are, if there’s a viable alternative that consumers can switch to, and whether consumers will actually make that switch."

DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin, in a statement to Newsweek: “There’s nothing offensive or partisan about removing murderers, pedophiles, rapists, and gang members from America’s communities. What’s offensive is Biden allowing millions of criminal illegal aliens to rape, maim, and murder U.S. citizens.

“The ICE recruitment campaign is a resounding success with more than 150,000 applications rolling in from patriotic Americans answering the call to defend the Homeland by helping arrest and remove the worst of the worst from our country.”