The Department of Homeland Security has refused a request from the NFL to remove a social media video of former Philadelphia Eagles player Brian Dawkins.
The DHS spot was promoting its message warning about a Honduran migrant caravan traveling toward the U.S. border.
The video plays like a highlight reel of Dawkins’ iconic pregame walkouts and explosive defensive plays, paired with the Korn song “Blind” and coupled with the text, “Our time has come.” It was posted as a response to a news headline about the migrant caravan. Dawkins famously chanted variations of the catchphrase “the time has come” to psych himself up before taking the field.
NFL spokesperson Brian McCarthy told Forbes on Monday that the league had “requested DHS take down the video” after it was first posted Sunday night.
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In response, DHS general counsel James Percival posted an image of Bugs Bunny tauntingly saying “No.”
The Trump administration has frequently repurposed NFL, pop culture and celebrity footage into promotional materials to market its policies, and notably layered NFL highlights over military strikes in Iran.
Dawkins, a Hall of Fame safety celebrated for his ferocious, high-impact takedowns, was the linchpin of the Eagles’ defense for over a decade. Inspired by the X-Men, he adopted the nickname “Weapon X” and would often crawl onto the field on all fours like Wolverine.
DHS spokesperson Chandler Rebel played up the nickname in a response to Forbes.
“DHS is playing lockdown defense at the border,” Rebel said. “We will use every Weapon at our disposal, from A to X, to keep Americans safe.”
Rebel confirmed that the department was “actively tracking a migrant caravan” but provided no new details about the situation.
The migrant caravan known as “Fe y Esperanza” — which translates to Faith and Hope — has grown to over 600 people since it left Honduras on Sept. 20. The group has picked up individuals from Guatemala, El Salvador, Ecuador and Haiti as it travels north on foot through Mexico.
DHS has issued warnings that illegal crossings will result in arrest and deportation.
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