Country music sensation Zach Bryan has found himself at the center of a whirlwind controversy sparked by his upcoming track, "Bad News," which features lyrics sharply critical of the actions of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) across the nation. The Grammy-winning singer-songwriter, who once served in the U.S. Navy, took to Instagram on Tuesday to express his dismay over the polarized reactions to the song. Although the full song has yet to be released, Bryan had shared a snippet online, which quickly ignited debate.
"I served this country, I love this country, and the song itself is a call for us all to emerge from this divided state," Bryan stated. "I wasn't speaking as a politician or some self-righteous know-it-all, just a 29-year-old man who's as bewildered as everyone else." He added, "To witness the uproar it's caused fills me not only with embarrassment but also a sense of fear."
Over the weekend, Bryan shared a clip of the song on Instagram, accompanied by a caption that read, "the fading of the red, white, and blue." In the snippet, he sings, "I heard the cops came / cocky m-----f------, ain't they," going on to describe, "ICE is gonna come bust down your door / Try and build a house no one builds no more / But I got a telephone / Kids are all scared and all alone."
The song has sparked a wide range of reactions amid ongoing controversy over ICE raids nationwide. It also arrives at a time when federal officials report that ICE agents are operating in an environment of heightened threat, facing attacks and harassment as they execute President Trump's mass deportation strategy.
"Stick to 'Pink Skies,' dude," Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin remarked in a statement when asked for comment on the new song, referencing Bryan's 2024 hit single.
At a media briefing in Portland, Oregon, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem responded to inquiries about the ICE lyrics by stating she's not a fan. "Zach, I didn’t listen to your music. I’m glad about that today," she said. "That makes me very happy that I never gave you a single penny to enrich your lifestyle."
"I hope Zach Bryan realizes how utterly disrespectful that song is, not just to law enforcement but to this country, to every individual who has stood up and fought for our freedoms," Noem told podcast host Benny Johnson. "He just undermined it all by releasing a product that attacks individuals who are simply trying to keep our streets safe."
The DHS also utilized Bryan's 2020 hit, "Revival," in a promotional video posted on Instagram Tuesday afternoon, depicting ICE agents detaining individuals. It remains unclear whether the song's use in the video was properly licensed.
In his Instagram statement, Bryan clarified that he wrote "Bad News" months ago and only posted a "snippet" of it. "This demonstrates how a divisive narrative can be forced upon us through social media," Bryan further elaborated in his Tuesday Instagram post. "This song is about how much I love this country and everyone in it more than anything. When you hear the full song, you'll grasp the complete context that addresses both sides of the aisle," Bryan continued. "Everyone who's using this now as a weapon is only proving how devastatingly divided we all are. We need to find our way back."
