After the Department of Homeland Security released a video featuring the Pokémon character Ash Ketchum in a promotional piece for ICE, the Pokémon Company’s former head of legal shared his thoughts. He indicated he wouldn’t want to get involved, and hinted at why the company might choose not to take legal action.
This week, Homeland Security shared a video on X (formerly Twitter) showing arrests made by ICE agents. The video is edited with clips from the original Pokémon TV series, using the show’s famous “Gotta Catch ‘Em All” theme song. The video cleverly incorporates Pokémon imagery – for example, text identifying “The Department of Homeland Security” appears in the show’s font when a character looks up, and footage of handcuffed wrists is shown as a Poké Ball closes. Finally, those arrested are presented as Pokémon cards, with a description of their alleged crime listed under their photo.
It’s no surprise fans reacted strongly to the video, with many urging The Pokémon Company to take legal action against the Department of Homeland Security. However, Don McGowan, who used to lead the company’s legal team, told IGN why they probably won’t pursue a lawsuit.
According to McGowan, The Pokémon Company International likely won’t address this issue for a couple of reasons. They rarely seek publicity, preferring to let the Pokémon brand speak for itself. Additionally, many of their US-based leaders are in the process of obtaining green cards, which makes them cautious about getting involved in potentially sensitive matters. McGowan, who previously served as their Chief Legal Officer, believes the situation will quickly fade away and the company will be content to let it pass, even stating that *he* wouldn’t have intervened despite being known for taking swift action.
It’s unknown how The Pokémon Company will react to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) using Pokémon and its character Ash Ketchum in their videos. DHS continues to share the video – even reposting it on their official account – suggesting they plan to keep using Ash and the slogan “Gotta Catch ‘Em All” to promote Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
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2025-09-23 21:11