Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem is facing a growing political storm after the Department of Homeland Security’s official X account posted a video of several young Black men alongside a caption threatening Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. The caption ended with “FAFO,” an acronym for “F— around and find out.” Within hours, critics discovered the clip had originally circulated online with an entirely different caption aimed at Iran, not federal officers, leading to accusations that DHS had shared a fake, misleading post.
Representative Eric Swalwell (D-CA) was among the first to call out Noem directly. “Kristi — DELETE THIS TWEET or answer for it in Congress. It’s FAKE,” he wrote on X, adding, “You’re the Queen of Photoshopping.” Swalwell accused Noem of doctoring content and “destroying these kids’ lives over a doctored video.” His post quickly went viral, fueling bipartisan outrage over the government’s apparent use of manipulated media.
The controversy stems from DHS’s Friday post, which included a warning: “If you threaten or lay hands on our law enforcement officers we will hunt you down and you will find out, really quick. We’ll see you cowards soon.” The message was framed as a show of strength toward anyone threatening ICE agents—but social media sleuths quickly located the original version of the video, which had no connection to immigration or law enforcement.
FAFO.
If you threaten or lay hands on our law enforcement officers we will hunt you down and you will find out, really quick.
We’ll see you cowards soon. pic.twitter.com/KmxCp2IEKc
— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) October 17, 2025
The person believed to have created the original clip responded publicly, saying the altered version caught him by surprise. “I saw the caption and I was like, ‘I didn’t do that!’” he said in a reply shared by Democratic candidate Danny Glover. “I’ve still got the video saved in my drafts on TikTok. Here’s the messed-up part: the federal government is involved with something that I didn’t do.”
The backlash against DHS and Noem was swift and fierce. “Cringe to see a government department tweet this like an internet points clout-chasing kid,” one user wrote. Another said, “Purposely spreading a fake-captioned video to put a target on the backs of our own citizens… this is an embarrassment to our country and the American people.”
This is not the first time Noem’s department has been accused of misusing social media. Under her leadership, DHS’s online messaging has taken an increasingly combative tone, often mixing law enforcement updates with provocative memes and culture-war rhetoric. Supporters say it’s a bold approach to public safety messaging. Critics call it reckless and politically motivated.
The controversy has also revived memories of Noem’s previous clashes with lawmakers over the use of manipulated or misleading imagery. Earlier this year, she came under fire for promoting a photo of an alleged MS-13 member that was later proven to be fake, insisting at the time she had “no knowledge” the image was doctored.
Now, with the “FAFO” post still up and Swalwell threatening to bring the matter before Congress, the pressure is mounting on Noem to respond. The video has been viewed millions of times and remains a lightning rod for debate over how far government agencies should go in the social media wars.
As of Sunday, Noem and DHS had yet to remove the post or issue a correction. But if Swalwell gets his way, the next time Noem is asked about it might be under oath.
