Singer Jess Glynne Calls Out White House Over Jet2 Migrant Comments
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
British pop singer Jess Glynne has condemned the Trump administration after the White House used her hit song Hold My Hand in a social media post mocking migrant deportations.
The post, shared on the official White House X account, featured a video that compared Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) deportation flights to budget holiday travel with airline Jet2.
"When ICE books you a one-way Jet2 holiday to deportation. Nothing beats it!" The White House wrote on a post on X.
"This post honestly makes me sick," Glynne wrote on Instagram.
Newsweek has contacted Jet2 for comment via email.
When ICE books you a one-way Jet2 holiday to deportation. ✈️🎶
Nothing beats it! pic.twitter.com/hlLapr9QsE — The White House (@WhiteHouse) July 29, 2025
Why It Matters
The backlash from Glynne comes amid growing concern over the administration's hardline immigration policies. President Donald Trump has ordered his government to remove millions of migrants without legal status as part of an aggressive mass deportation policy.
His administration has increasingly leaned on social media, often using memes and viral content to shape public opinion and bolster support among conservative voters.
Signer songwriter Jess Glynne performs at BOXPark Wembley during a screening of the UEFA Women's Euro 2025 semi-final match at the Stade de Geneve, Switzerland, July 22, 2025.
Signer songwriter Jess Glynne performs at BOXPark Wembley during a screening of the UEFA Women's Euro 2025 semi-final match at the Stade de Geneve, Switzerland, July 22, 2025.
Press Association via AP Images
What To Know
The video in question features clips of detained migrants being escorted onto an aircraft, a cut to the CBP Home app—used to process self-deportation applications—and ends with footage of former President Donald Trump gesturing toward the camera. The destination of the deportation flight remains unclear.
The viral video sparked outrage for appearing to parody a British airline advert while mocking a group of migrants being deported. In the clip, handcuffed undocumented individuals are shown being led onto a GlobalX aircraft by ICE officials. GlobalX is one of several charter airlines contracted by the U.S. government to carry out deportation flights.
The Jet2 vacation meme, which originally circulated on TikTok, repurposed the song Hold My Hand to show travel fails with a humorous twist.
Glynne joins a growing list of artists who have publicly objected to the Trump administration's use of their music. In March, the rock band Semisonic criticized a joint social media post by the White House and Border Patrol that featured a man in handcuffs set to their song Closing Time.
The Trump administration has leaned heavily on social media posts that blend trolling and memes. Responding to criticism over the Jet2 meme, a White House spokesperson told The Independent the administration had no plans to scale back its online strategy.
What People Are Saying
Jess Glynne said on her Instagram story: "My music is about love, unity, and spreading positivity—never about division or hate."
White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson said in a statement: "There is nothing more unifying and positive than deporting criminal illegal aliens and making American communities safer. The memes will continue until every criminal illegal alien is removed!"
What Happens Next
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act passed earlier this month significantly increases funding for ICE, allocating $45 billion to expand detention capacity to nearly 100,000 beds, $14 billion for transportation and deportation operations, $8 billion to hire 10,000 new deportation officers, and additional billions for technology upgrades, state and local enforcement partnerships, as well as retention incentives for ICE personnel.
This substantial funding boost is intended to help the administration accelerate deportations as it aims to fulfil Trump's pledge to remove one million individuals within a year.
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