Streaming giant Spotify is not currently running advertisements for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the company has confirmed, stating the specific ad campaign agreement ended in late 2025.
“There are currently no ICE ads running on Spotify,” the music streamer said in a statement. “The advertisements mentioned were part of a U.S. government recruitment campaign that ran across all major media and platforms.”
Newsweek has reached out to ICE and Spotify for comment via email on Saturday.
Why It Matters
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem has promised to deliver on President Donald Trump’s plan to deport millions of illegal immigrants over the next four years, with the One Big Beautiful Bill Act providing billions in extra funding to ICE, including for recruitment of 10,000 new agents.
ICE began an increased recruitment push shortly after Trump signed the bill into law, which sends $75 billion to ICE over four years, $30 billion of which is specifically earmarked for hiring. The agency offers signing bonuses up to $50,000, student loan payments, tuition reimbursement and starting salaries that can approach $90,000.
The agency advertised for recruits across social media and streaming platforms, including Spotify, as well as others such as Amazon, YouTube, Hulu and Max.
What To Know
The Trump administration’s advertising campaign with Spotify ended in late 2025, however it does not indicate anything about potential future campaigns.
Previously, Spotify told Newsweek that the ICE ads did not “violate our advertising policies.”
The company told Newsweek in October, “This advertisement is part of a broad campaign the US government is running across television, streaming, and online channels.” The statement reminded user that they “can mark any ad with a thumbs-up or thumbs-down to help manage their ads preferences.”
ICE has grown significantly under Trump, with a January press release stating, “We have more than doubled our officers and agents from 10,000 to 22,000.” The press release also noted that ICE received more than 220,000 applications.
Several organizations, such as Indivisible, launched boycott campaigns over Spotify’s ICE recruitment ads, urging users to cancel subscriptions and sending letters to the company.
While the ads stopped streaming in late 2025 due to the contract, some have claimed the pressure campaigns were successful in their efforts.
Spotify’s confirmation that it is no longer running ICE recruitment ads comes as scrutiny of immigration enforcement has intensified following the fatal shooting of Renée Nicole Good in Minneapolis earlier this week, which has sparked nationwide protests.
What People Are Saying
Ezra Levin, Indivisible’s co-founder and co-executive director, said in a Friday statement: “For months, Spotify profited from advertising that helped expand an agency responsible for terrorizing immigrant communities and separated families. These ads were part of a Trump-backed effort to supercharge deportations and normalize state violence. Ending these ads does not erase the damage done, and it does not absolve Spotify and other tech companies that take government money to promote recruitment for deportation machines. Accountability means ensuring these ads never return, increasing transparency around government advertising and committing to policies that do not enable violence against our communities.”
DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a January 3 press release: “The good news is that thanks to the Big Beautiful Bill that President Trump signed, we have an additional 12,000 ICE officers and agents on the ground across the country. That’s a 120% increase in our workforce. And that’s in just about four months.”
What Happens Next
ICE officials are expecting to spend around $100 million in recruitment efforts in 2026, according to an internal document review by The Washington Post.
Meanwhile, 1,006 protests and events organized under “ICE Out For Good Weekend of Action” are scheduled across the country this weekend.
The news cycle is loud. Algorithms push us to extremes. In the middle—where facts, ideas and progress live—there’s a void. At Newsweek, we fill it with fearless, fair and fiercely independent journalism.
Common ground isn’t just possible—it’s essential. Our readers reflect America’s diversity, united by a desire for thoughtful, unbiased news. Independent ratings confirm our approach: NewsGuard gives us 100/100 for reliability, and AllSides places us firmly in the political center.
In a polarized era, the center is dismissed as bland. Ours is different: The Courageous Center—it’s not “both sides,” it’s sharp, challenging and alive with ideas. We follow facts, not factions. If that sounds like the kind of journalism you want to see thrive, we need you.
When you become a Newsweek Member, you support a mission to keep the center strong and vibrant. Members enjoy:
- Conventional Wisdom: Tracking political winds with clarity.
- Uncommon Knowledge: Deep dives into overlooked truths.
- Ad-free browsing and exclusive editor conversations.
Help keep the center courageous. Join today.
Read the full article here
