Spotify users will no longer hear recruitment advertisements for the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
The announcement comes months after some artists announced they would be leaving the music streaming platform after learning about the ads placed by ICE. The audio spots played for Spotify users who signed up for the service’s free tier, which includes ads between some songs.
What Caused ICE Ads to Be Removed From Spotify
News of the ICE ads no longer running on Spotify was first reported by Variety, a day after Wednesday’s fatal shooting of a woman in Minneapolis at the hands of an ICE agent. Spotify confirmed with the outlet that the ads had stopped playing for users.
But it wasn’t Wednesday’s fatal shooting that caused the ads’ removal. Both Variety and Pitchfork are reporting that the ad campaign was stopped sometime before the end of 2025.
Additionally, ad buys to recruit ICE agents had also been placed with major streaming services Hulu, Max and YouTube. It is not clear if recruitment ads continued running on those platforms after Jan. 1.
Bands Cited ICE Ads As Reason For Leaving Spotify
The second half of 2025 saw multiple high-profile acts announcing their departure from Spotify. Loudwire found at least nine rock and metal bands that have removed some, if not all, of their music from the platform in recent months:
- Deerhoof
- Godspeed You! Black Emperor
- Hotline TNT
- King Gizzard and The Lizard Wizard
- My Bloody Valentine
- Saetia
- Swing Kids
- Xiu Xiu
- Young Widows
Some bands provided vague statements regarding why they were leaving Spotify. Others, like New York-based screamo act Saetia, made it clear that the ICE recruitment ads factored into their decision to part ways with the streaming service.
READ MORE: 9 Rock + Metal Bands Who Removed Their Music From Spotify in 2025
“Whether it’s running ICE recruitment advertisements or paying artists fractions of pennies on the dollar while subsidizing voices like Joe Rogan, we just felt it was time to separate our music from their message,” Saetia said in a statement posted to their Instagram in October. “To be clear, Saetia is not opposed to accessing music on streaming platforms.”
How Much ICE Allegedly Paid to Run Recruitment Ads
The Department of Homeland Security has reportedly spent millions to run ICE recruitment ads since last March.
According to Rolling Stone, DHS allegedly paid Spotify $74,000 to run the recruitment commercials. The amount pales in comparison to the department’s reported ad spends with other platforms.
Between August and November 2025, Rolling Stone reported that the DHS spent upwards of $500,000 on ICE recruitment ads, which specifically ran on Facebook and Instagram. The outlet alleges another $3 million was paid to run Spanish-language advertising on Google and YouTube that promoted self-deportation.
DHS Claims to Have Doubled ICE Agents
The DHS claims to have successfully recruited a large number of ICE agents in a relatively short period. A press release issued by the department on Jan. 3 touted that more than 12,000 ICE officers and agents had been hired in less than a year from a pool of more than 220,000 applicants.
The department says it more than doubles the total number of ICE officers and agents from 10,000 to more than 22,000.
Recruitment continues for agents through the website for ICE, which says it is looking to hire “law enforcement personnel who aspire to the highest standards of performance, professionalism and leadership.”
10 Most Memorable Rage Against The Machine Activism Moments
People should know what they are getting from a band named Rage Against The Machine. If the lyrics didn’t tip them off, surely any number of the band’s activism moments would provide some clues. Here are 10 of the most memorable moments of activism and protest from Rage Against The Machine’s career.
Gallery Credit: Rob Carroll