Pokemon to sue DHS? Huge uproar as Kristi Noem's agency uses Japanese firm's branding for raid stunts
Pokemon has condemned the Department of Homeland Security for using its trademark phrase in a deportation-themed video without permission.
Pokemon has targetted the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for utilizing their well-known phrase in its deportation operations without getting consent from the main franchise.
The anime giant has blasted DHS after it made fun of deportation operations in a recent social media video by using the phrase “Gotta Catch 'Em All.”
Kristi Noem's agency went one step further by employing a montage with a Pokemon theme and mock “cards” for inmates.
As Ash, the protagonist of Pokemon, performs his trademark heroic maneuvers to entice others to "catch em all," the social media campaign featured images of DHS agents handcuffing and apprehending migrants, ICE agents barging through homes and businesses, and authorities transporting detainees to detention facilities or deportation flights.
Customs and Border Protection, a DHS-affiliated agency, contributed to the campaign by sharing a gif of a dancing Pikachu, another franchise protagonist, on X, evidently in appreciation of the hundreds of thousands of deportations Noem's department conducted this year.
Pokemon tears into DHS amid lawsuit calls
In a statement, the Japanese franchise quickly condemned the video and claimed that they had no involvement in the campaign's creation.
A representative for the Pokemon Company International stated, “We are aware of a recent video posted by the Department of Homeland Security that includes imagery and language associated with our brand,” Daily Beast reported.
“Our company was not involved in the creation or distribution of this content, and permission was not granted for the use of our intellectual property,” the statement continued.
The video infuriated Pokemon enthusiasts, who demanded that the company—of which Nintendo is a significant co-owner and platform holder—sue the government agency for using the intellectual property.
Don McGowan, the former chief legal officer of the corporation, told the gaming website IGN that the company would probably avoid the situation and that it will be resolved in a few days.
“I don’t see them doing anything about this for a few reasons,” McGowan stated.
He also mentioned that a large number of its executives hold green cards in the US.
