Full Breakdown
DHS Deploys Brian Dawkins Highlight Reel in Immigration Messaging
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event
On a Sunday in September 2026 the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) posted a 39-second video to its X account that paired former Philadelphia Eagles safety Brian Dawkins’s pre-game chant “The time has come” with a montage of his tackles. The caption read “Our time has come” and a still image added “The Border Is Closed.” The NFL asked DHS to remove the video, and Dawkins said he had not authorized the use of his name, image or likeness. The video remained online at least through the following Monday.
Background & Context
The Trump administration frequently used sports metaphors in policy messaging. Earlier in 2026 the White House paired NFL highlights with footage of airstrikes in Iran, and DHS previously used an IndyCar driver’s branding for a detention-center proposal, drawing criticism from the driver’s spokesperson. These tactics frame immigration enforcement in binary, sport-like terms.
Official Statements & Responses
- NFL: Spokesperson Brian McCarthy said, “We have requested DHS take down the video.”
- Brian Dawkins: In an X post he wrote, “Let’s be clear: I didn’t give permission for my name, image and likeness to be used by anybody, all right?” and added, “I have respectfully not given permission to anyone other than those I currently do business with to use my NIL. Be Blessed!”
- Legal analysis: Temple University law professor Guy Rub noted the DHS use might be argued as “fair use” for political speech, but sovereign immunity complicates any copyright claim.
Data & Statistics
- The caravan cited by DHS consisted of roughly 600 people that left San Pedro Sula, Honduras on September 20, 2026.
- Dawkins’s career includes Hall of Fame induction (2018), nine Pro Bowls, five All-Pro honors and 891 solo tackles.
Why It Matters
1. NIL rights for retired athletes. Dawkins’s objection highlights that Hall of Famers retain control over commercial use of their likeness.
2. Copyright and fair-use doctrine. DHS’s reliance on political-speech protection could set a precedent for government use of copyrighted sports footage.
3. Political messaging strategy. Framing enforcement as a football-style “defense” simplifies a complex policy debate and has drawn criticism from media scholars.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Reports indicated the video stayed live on DHS’s X account as of Monday afternoon, but DHS has not confirmed whether it will comply with the NFL’s takedown request or addressed the copyright and NIL concerns. No removal timeline has been provided.