White House shares video of immigrants in shackles, calls it ‘ASMR’; Elon Musk reacts

The White House has posted a video online showing immigrants in shackles being prepared to board a deportation flight from Seattle. The video showed handcuffs and chains being lifted from a basket filled with other shackles, jingling as they were removed and then arranged on the airport tarmac alongside four additional sets of restraints.

The X post by the White House is titled, “ASMR: Illegal Alien Deportation Flight.”

ASMR is a nonclinical term that stands for “Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response.” It refers to a pleasant, tingling feeling some people experience when watching videos featuring unusual sounds, like whispering or fingernails tapping on a surface.


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A scene in the 41-second video depicts an immigrant walking past an officer with his hands cuffed in front of him and his ankles restrained by a chain. Other shots feature a close-up of a man’s handcuffs being secured, another man's feet in chains as he ascends a stairway to a plane, and a man preparing to board the aircraft. The faces of the men remain unseen.

However, the video—along with the White House’s description—reflects the Trump administration’s enthusiasm, as well as that of the president’s supporters, for large-scale deportations.

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The White House’s use of the term ASMR in this context drew reactions online, including from billionaire Elon Musk, who responded with: “Haha wow.”

Other X users also reacted to the video, with one calling its posting on the White House's official account "based." Another questioned, "How much did this security theatre cost the American taxpayer?" A third user expressed surprise, saying, "I never thought I would hear an ASMR video of deportation."

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Since taking office on January 20, President Donald Trump has increased deportations as part of his immigration policy. Thousands of undocumented immigrants have already been sent back, including over 300 Indian nationals.

Tom Homan, Trump’s border czar, has said the administration will continue deportations, stating that he will not rest until every “illegal criminal migrant” is “eradicated” from the country. He also noted that illegal crossings have decreased under Trump compared to the previous administration.

(With TOI inputs)