'Sick, cruel, dehumanising': US turns migrant deportations into a video game
The Trump White House has turned its hard-line immigration agenda into an arcade-style video game, prompting rights groups to condemn the online stunt as “sick,” “cruel,” “inhuman” and deeply insensitive at a time when the administration is escalating arrests and deportations of undocumented migrants. The website, unveiled Thursday, features a collection of retro-style computer games recast with…
President Donald Trump's White House has transformed its strict immigration policy into a video game format, drawing harsh condemnation from rights organizations. The online games, unveiled on September 3, 2026, feature a "Make America Great Again" theme and include activities like chasing migrants, constructing a border wall, and accumulating funds for government-backed accounts for children.
Critics argue the games trivialize policies with severe real-world consequences for millions of undocumented migrants. The most criticized game is "Rio Run," a modern version of the Snake arcade game, where players control a digital border czar chasing migrants across the Rio Grande. Another game, "Build the Wall," is based on the Tetris block-stacking game, urging players to protect the border.
A third game links to Trump's "Trump accounts," investment accounts offering a $1,000 government contribution to eligible children born during a specific period. The White House defended the games as part of its strategy to communicate the President's accomplishments, but immigrant advocates argue they dehumanize and trivialize the serious issues of detention, deportation, and human displacement.
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