In a partial release of his new song “Bad News,” country music star Zach Bryan refers directly to the brutality of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids on immigrants being carried out by the Trump administration.

“Bad News,” unusual in the country music genre for its open criticism of the government, has elicited a series of attacks from the Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and far-right media mouthpieces.

This hysterical response—which includes an aggressive effort to blacklist and silence Bryan—reflects the extreme nervousness of the fascists in the White House, who cannot tolerate any public criticism of their authoritarian measures. Aware of the widespread opposition among tens of millions against the ICE raids, the clique around Trump is fearful that voices such as Bryan’s will encourage others to speak out and take political action.

The lyrics, as revealed in Instagram snippets, focus on the harsh actions of ICE agents: “ICE is gonna come bust down your door. Try to build a house, no one builds no more, well I got a telephone. Kids are all scared and all alone.” Another section goes: “I heard the cops came / cocky motherf—ers, ain’t they?” and concludes, “the bar stopped bumping, the rock stopped rolling, the middle finger’s rising, and it won’t stop showing. Got some bad news, the fading of the red, white, and blue.”

Facing a barrage of right-wing denunciations, Bryan backtracked somewhat, insisting the song was not a political statement, but a reflection of widespread fear and a plea for unity amid division: “This song embodies my love for this nation and everyone within it above all else. Once you hear the entire song, you will grasp the broader context that resonates with both political sides. Those who are weaponizing this now only highlight how profoundly divided we truly are. We need to navigate our way back.”

He stated further, “I wasn’t speaking as a politician or some greater-than-thou a–hole, just a 29-year-old man who is just as confused as everyone else. … To see how much s— it stirred up makes me not only embarrassed but kind of scared.”

Meanwhile, the fascistic Noem denounced Bryan’s lyrics as “completely disrespectful … not just to law enforcement but to the country and every single person who has stood up and fought for our freedoms.” In a video interview with extreme right pundit Benny Johnson, Noem stated, “He compromised it by putting a product that attacks those who are trying to keep our streets safe. I hope he understands how completely disrespectful that is.” The primary threat to “safe” American streets at present comes from the ICE-Gestapo forces unleashed by Noem and company.

The White House followed up Noem’s diatribe with spokesperson Abigail Jackson claiming Bryan’s song would incite violence against ICE and law enforcement and insisting a majority of Americans supported Trump’s crackdown on “criminal illegals.” However, if there were so much support for ICE’s criminal actions, why was it necessary for an official statement from the Deputy White House Press Secretary?

These comments from Trump officials were intended to and did inevitably set in motion the right-wing propaganda machine on social media and conservative talk shows, with various pro-Trump music figures joining the assault, labeling Bryan “trash” and a “tool” for criticizing the police state, and demanding boycotts of his music.

The effort to muzzle Zach Bryan is part of the campaign by the Trump administration to silence and punish any criticism of its fascist policies. The most visible recent example of this was the attempt to force late-night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel off the air after he publicly exposed the political exploitation of the shooting death of Charlie Kirk, a leader of the right-wing Turning Point USA, by the Trump forces.

Trump’s vindictive response was at first successful, as ABC indefinitely suspended “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” by using pressure from regulators and criminal threats from Federal Communications Commission chair Brendan Carr, who said, gangster-like, “We can handle this the easy way or the hard way. These companies can find ways to modify their behavior and take action regarding Kimmel, or the FCC will have more work to do.”

However, in the end, public opposition to the intervention of the Trump administration was so enormous that ABC and its affiliates were forced to put Kimmel back on the air within a week. Some 32 million people watched his return opening monologue live or on social media.

Similarly, there has been an eruption of support for Bryan on social media over his “Bad News” release and this reflects the mass opposition to the brutalization of immigrant communities, particularly the terrorizing of children by ICE.

The lines “kids are all scared and all alone” captures the trauma experienced by tens of thousands as agents break into homes and schools, forcibly separating families and deporting parents. It is these actions that have spurred mass protests in cities across the US from Los Angeles to Chicago.

Zach Bryan is one of several artists who have raised their voices against ICE and the police state measures. The far-right backlash he is facing is in line with the Trump administration’s response to those—such as Bad Bunny, Shakira and Doechii–who have dared to criticize the would-be dictator.

“Artists have been using their work to challenge US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), turning fear into a call for resistance,” notes Rebelphonics, which profiles musicians and visual artists mobilizing against ICE raids and border militarization.

Street murals, spoken word performances and mass protests led by immigrant youth have become regular occurrences, using art to express what mainstream politicians and media kissing up to the Trump government refuse to report on.

Zach Bryan’s “Bad News” is the latest example of dissent within popular culture in the US against the Trump administration. While his lyrics have brought vilification and censorship efforts engineered by Noem and her agents in the media, Bryan’s defiance has also tapped into something much deeper and stronger: the feelings of millions in America who are demanding an end to the cruelty and militarization of everyday life.