Country star Zach Bryan stirred controversy this week after teasing a new song criticizing ICE raids — and the Department of Homeland Security fired back in dramatic fashion.
Bryan previewed the unreleased track, “Bad News,” on Instagram, with lyrics lamenting “the fading of the red, white and blue” and warning that “ICE is gonna come bust down your door.” The post quickly went viral, sparking heated reactions across the political spectrum.
Country singer John Rich mocked the move, quipping, “Nashville is full of guys like this.” Others compared Bryan’s backlash to Bud Light’s infamous partnership with Dylan Mulvaney, calling it his “Bud Light moment.”
But the sharpest response came from the Department of Homeland Security itself. On X, the agency shared a recruitment video featuring Bryan’s 2020 hit “Revival” — complete with scenes of ICE agents suiting up, raiding buildings, and detaining suspects.
The post read, “We’re having an All Night Revival,” quoting lyrics from Bryan’s song:
“Lord, forgive us, my boys and me. We’re havin’ an all-night revival,
someone call the women and someone steal the Bible.
For the sake of my survival, baptize me in a bottle of Beam,
put Johnny on the vinyl.”
The move stunned fans — and quickly divided social media. Supporters of law enforcement praised the DHS post as a clever clapback, while critics accused the agency of mocking an artist for expressing dissent.
Hours later, DHS doubled down, sharing a Washington Examiner article titled, “Will Zach Bryan write a song about murdered women Laken Riley and Rachel Morin?” The piece questioned why Bryan hasn’t written about victims allegedly killed by illegal immigrants.
Bryan has not yet responded publicly to DHS’s jab, but his new song — and the government’s viral response — have ensured that both are now the talk of Nashville and Washington alike.