Pokémon Unhappy Over DHS Use of 'Gotta Catch ‘Em All’ ICE Raid Stunt

Pokémon have revealed that the US Department of Homeland Security shamelessly used their branding without permission in their “Gotta Catch ’Em All” ICE raid deportation campaign. 

DHS triggered a culture-war firestorm after posting a Pokémon-themed montage of immigration raids – set to the franchise’s famous theme and capped with mock “cards” for arrestees – on Monday. 

The stunt includes a video clip from a raid attended by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem (right) where US citizens were cuffed outside a shattered door – footage critics say should never have been turned into content, and could land Noem in legal trouble. 

In the post on X, DHS captioned the package “Gotta Catch ’Em All”, and Customs and Border Protection even piled on with a gif of a dancing Pikachu, the yellow, mouse-like mascot of the globally popular franchise. 

The campaign mirrored the anime’s opening sequence and card-game tropes, right down to listing “weakness” as the ICE emoji and “retreat” as an airplane. 

Now the company behind the global kids’ brand are crying foul. 

A spokesperson for the Pokémon Company International told the Daily Beast, “We are aware of a recent video posted by the Department of Homeland Security that includes imagery and language associated with our brand. Our company (were) not involved in the creation or distribution of this content, and permission was not granted for the use of our intellectual property”.

Legal or illegal, right or wrong, DHS definitely found a way to get everyone's attention! 

Fans of the anime cartoon have demanded the Pokémon Company International – of which Nintendo are a major co-owner and platform holder – sue DHS over the flagrant abuse of their intellectual property. 

However, Don McGowan, Pokémon’s former chief legal officer, told the gaming website IGN that he “wouldn’t touch this”, predicting it would “blow over in a couple of days”, citing the company’s aversion to publicity and noting “many of their execs in the USA are on green cards”! 

When asked by the Beast whether they intended to take legal action against the Donald Trump administration over the piracy, the Pokémon Company International declined to comment. 

At the time of publication, the DHS video remained online. FYI, in August, DHS christened an Indiana detention facility the “Speedway Slammer”, prompting the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and IndyCar to distance themselves from the branding and request their imagery not be used. 

DHS are already beginning to get a reputation for riding roughshod over IP in their attempt to promote their immigration blitz.