On October 17, 2025, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) ignited a national controversy after its official X (formerly Twitter) account posted a video that many critics swiftly labeled as both fake and inflammatory. The video, which depicted several young Black men standing in a park, was accompanied by a caption directly threatening Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. The post ended with the acronym "FAFO"—short for "F--- around and find out." Within hours, the video’s authenticity and the motivations behind its posting became a flashpoint in America’s ongoing debate about race, politics, and government accountability.
According to The New York Times and other outlets, the video posted by DHS was not an original government production. Instead, it was an altered version of a TikTok clip made months earlier by a young Black man. The original video, intended as political satire, referenced Iran and not federal law enforcement. The government’s version, however, carried a menacing message: "If you threaten or lay hands on our law enforcement officers we will hunt you down and you will find out, really quick. We’ll see you cowards soon." The post also included a caption over the video itself that read, "ICE we’re on the way. Word in the streets cartels put a $50K bounty on y’all."
The immediate reaction was one of bipartisan outrage. Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell of California was among the first to publicly confront DHS Secretary Kristi Noem. He wrote on X, "Kristi—DELETE THIS TWEET or answer for it in Congress. It’s FAKE. You’re the Queen of Photoshopping. This is the same smear you pulled on Kilmar Garcia. You’re destroying these kids’ lives over a doctored video. Take it down." Swalwell’s post quickly went viral, amplifying concerns about the government’s apparent use of manipulated content to make a political point.
The original creator of the TikTok video, who appeared to be the same young man shown removing his mask in the viral clip, was equally shocked. "I saw the caption and I was like, ‘I didn’t do that!’" he said, according to NewsOne. "I’ve still got the video saved in my drafts on TikTok. Here’s the messed-up part: the federal government is involved with something that I didn’t do." He later added, "I get threats daily on IG and everywhere all over my social media all of a sudden, due to an old video I posted months ago about Iran." The unwanted attention, including harassment and doxxing, stemmed directly from DHS’s altered use of his video.
The doctored video gained further traction after being reshared by Martez Files, a verified account on X. Files told his followers, "This is some sick and disgusting sh-t!" He later provided more context: "Something lethal just happened. Trump’s Homeland Security reposted a young Black man’s months-old video altered with AI to change his words from ‘Iran’ to ‘ICE.’ The doctored clip was shared by the Department of Homeland Security’s official account with threats that ‘we will hunt you down.’ Now he and his friends are being harassed, doxxed, and targeted by thousands." Files characterized the incident as state violence and a rehearsal in public persecution, echoing the words of Fred Hampton: "Nothing is more important than stopping fascism, because fascism will stop us all."
As the backlash mounted, the Department of Homeland Security doubled down. In a follow-up comment on X, DHS insisted, "WE HAVE THE RECEIPTS. This young man posted violent threats of murder against our law enforcement. He then deleted it when he was called out, and attempted to deny all wrong doing. We have the receipts, and the internet is forever. The willful ignorance and intentional blindness by leading Democrats to the massive increase in violent rhetoric against our agents due to their actions is both disgusting and disappointing. Violence against our agents and officers MUST STOP." Yet, social media users quickly pointed out that the video the TikToker referenced as the original was similar but not identical—some of the young men were positioned differently, raising further questions about the extent of the alterations.
Critics from across the political spectrum weighed in. One user remarked, "Cringe to see a government department tweet this like an internet points clout-chasing kid." Another wrote, "Purposely spreading a fake-captioned video to put a target on the backs of our own citizens… this is an embarrassment to our country and the American people." The incident was not isolated; under Noem’s leadership, DHS’s online presence has been marked by an increasingly combative tone, blending official updates with memes and politically charged rhetoric. Supporters have praised the department’s approach as "bold" and "unfiltered," but detractors argue it’s reckless, especially when it comes to the use of AI-generated or doctored content.
The timing of the controversy was particularly awkward for DHS and Secretary Noem. Just as the "FAFO" post was dominating headlines, The New York Times reported that DHS had recently purchased two luxury Gulfstream private jets for Noem and other senior officials, at a cost of $172 million. The Coast Guard had also requested a $50 million Gulfstream V earlier in the year to replace an aging aircraft used by Noem. Kevin Lunday, acting commandant of the Coast Guard, told Congress, "The avionics are increasingly obsolete, the communications are increasingly unreliable and it’s in need of recapitalization, like much of the rest of the fleet." Critics questioned the optics of such spending at a time when the department’s social media conduct was under intense scrutiny.
The fallout from the video has been swift and far-reaching. As of October 21, 2025, DHS had not removed the controversial post, which had amassed millions of views and become a lightning rod in the debate over how far government agencies should go in waging the so-called culture wars online. The original young men in the video, who appeared to be minors, found themselves at the center of a storm they never intended to provoke. The creator of the original TikTok summed up the situation with a pointed accusation: "Lying on Black people to incite unnecessary violence? Sounds about white."
At the heart of the matter are questions about the ethical use of government social media accounts, the dangers of AI-driven misinformation, and the very real consequences for private citizens whose images are co-opted for political ends. With Rep. Swalwell threatening to bring the matter before Congress, there is growing pressure to clarify whether DHS’s use of manipulated media constitutes a misuse of federal resources or a violation of communication standards. For now, the video remains live, a stark reminder of the power—and peril—of digital media in the hands of those sworn to serve the public.
