White House Faces Backlash Over AI-Generated Cartoon Mocking Migrant's Arrest
The administration's use of a Studio Ghibli-style meme to depict a detained Dominican migrant has drawn widespread criticism for its perceived cruelty and unprofessional tone.
- The White House posted an AI-generated Studio Ghibli-style cartoon depicting the arrest of Virginia Basora-Gonzalez, a previously deported felon convicted of fentanyl trafficking.
- The cartoon, shared on the White House's official social media account, mocked Basora-Gonzalez's emotional reaction to her arrest, stating 'She wept when taken into custody.'
- Social media users widely criticized the post as dehumanizing and unprofessional, with many expressing outrage at its tone and content.
- Basora-Gonzalez was arrested by ICE on March 12 outside her workplace in Philadelphia after reentering the U.S. illegally; ICE defended the arrest as part of its public safety mission.
- The White House's use of AI-generated imagery aligns with its broader pattern of leveraging internet trends for controversial immigration enforcement messaging.
The Daily Beast 
