What's behind the Trump administration's immigration memes?

toggle caption @DHSgov and @WhiteHouse via X/Screenshot by NPR

Last month, the White House X account posted an illustration of President Trump looking determined, framed by eagles, fireworks, the American flag and a cloud of cash.

toggle caption @WhiteHouse via X/Screenshot by NPR

"Six months in. All gas. No brakes. The winning will continue. The deportations will continue. The memes will continue," the post read.

And the memes have continued, as has the controversy that inevitably follows. The White House's X account, as well as that of the Department of Homeland Security, have for months been posting a steady stream of content celebrating the administration, especially its aggressive immigration crackdown, often framed as ironic comedy. The posts illustrate the Trump administration's project of redefining who belongs in the United States, and promote its policies.

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In recent weeks, many posts have highlighted DHS's push to hire more Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, as well as the agency's vision of the homeland. They range from World War II-style recruitment posters to artwork evoking nostalgic versions of America's past, such as an 1872 painting that positively depicts white settlers displacing Native Americans.

toggle caption @WhiteHouse via X/Screenshot by NPR

The accounts also periodically post videos in the style of viral internet trends. One from February includes footage of immigrants boarding planes with handcuffs and chains rattling, captioned "ASMR: Illegal Alien Deportation Flight," referring to a genre of videos featuring sounds meant to evoke a calming and pleasant experience.

The posts are deeply polarizing: popular among a swath of Trump fans who share them and comment favorably, while generating outcry from critics who object to their tone and content.

This approach "speaks to the people who enjoy the irreverence, who enjoy the cruelty, who enjoy the 'owning the libs,'" said Ryan Milner, a professor of communication at the College of Charleston who studies Internet culture. "Especially how it causes people to freak out and cry foul. I think that's part of the point with these."

White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson didn't directly respond to NPR's questions for this story. She sent an emailed statement saying: "The White House consistently posts banger memes," and went on to mock NPR.

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In response to NPR's questions about the agency's social media posts, DHS assistant secretary for pub